Going on indefinite hunger strike as no option is left: Kejriwal on statehood issue

A day after announcing his decision to sit on an indefinite hunger strike from March 1 for full statehood to Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday said it was the last option before him.

The BJP has termed Kejriwal's move a "drama before elections", and alleged that the ruling AAP has nothing to show to the people as its achievements to seek votes in the Lok Sabha polls.

In a series of tweets, Kejriwal accused the BJP government at the Centre of "snatching" the AAP government's powers in the last four years.

"In the last four years, the Modi government, through its orders, kept snatching the Delhi government's powers. It caused obstruction in every work of Delhiites. We tried everything - pleaded with them, staged dharna, went to court. With no option left, we are going on a hunger strike," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

"Yes, Delhi is India's national capital, so let the Centre keep entire NDMC area under its complete control. How can rest of Delhi, in which Delhiites elect their own govt, be kept subservient to the Centre? No more injustice to be tolerated (sic)," he said in another tweet.

In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, the ruling AAP has been raising the statehood demand for Delhi after it's hopes of getting control over the bureaucracy of Delhi government were dashed by the Supreme Court earlier this month.

The apex court on February 14 delivered a split verdict on the contentious issue of control of services in the National Capital Territory in the tussle between the Delhi government and the Centre and referred the matter to a larger bench.

A two-judge bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan, however, agreed on their views on disputes pertaining to the Anti-Corruption Branch, setting up of a commission of inquiry, control over electricity boards, land revenue matters and appointment of pubic prosecutors.

The apex court also upheld the Centre's notification that its employees cannot be probed in corruption cases by ACB of Delhi government.

Raising the pitch on the issue of statehood for Delhi, Kejriwal on Saturday said in the Assembly that he would launch an indefinite hunger strike from March 1 to press the demand, and termed it "aar-paar ki ladai" (final battle).

He also accused the Congress and the BJP of "back-stabbing" Delhi over full statehood issue.

On Sunday, Kejriwal wrote on Twitter, "Yes, Delhi is India's national capital, so let the Centre keep entire NDMC area under its complete control. How can rest of Delhi, in which Delhiites elect their own govt, be kept subservient to the Centre? No more injustice to be tolerated."
He said, "Delhi is not Kejriwal's fiefdom, it's national capital of India. It's existing governance model is based on this fact. Kejriwal is just trying to fool people one more time before the polls raising full statehood issue."