“Kejriwal’s objective is to stage a drama”: BJP over Delhi Budget row

The Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday for allegedly postponing the Delhi Budget 2023, claiming that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s main goal is to produce a scene rather than deliver the budget or work for the city’s growth.

This comes a day after Kejriwal claimed that the Centre had halted the presentation of the Delhi budget, which was due for Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Kejriwal has only one goal, not budget or development. Drama, drama and only drama. One drama was staged by Rahul Gandhi on foreign soil and another is being done by AAP in the country.”

“There is a provision of the law that the Delhi government sends the budget to the LG on March 9. LG sent 3-4 observations. In this, questions were raised on Delhi Jal Board, DTC including Delhi’s infrastructure. The budget of Rs 270 crore for advertisement was increased to Rs 550 crore. LG raised questions on this. LG raised questions on Kejriwal buying a car for himself and getting a bungalow built. While he came in auto to take oath for the first time. LG has raised questions regarding central schemes,” Patra elaborated.

He said that the Aam Aadmi Party cannot run away from the questions and will have to answer them.
“When any budget of a state is passed, before that the approval and consent of the President is taken. The budget of Delhi was sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Home Ministry wrote a polite letter that LG has 3-4 questions which are not binding, but it would be better if you answer them. Patra said that whatever suggestion LG gives, you put your point on it. In a democracy, questions will be asked. If you are spending crores of rupees on advertisements then questions will be asked. You have to answer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, claiming that expressing remarks on the Budget is a violation of the Constitution and that the LG has no jurisdiction to complain to the Budget.

“According to the law, the Central government has no right to interfere in the Delhi budget. Whatever it did was unconstitutional. But we don’t want to fight with the government. We satisfied their ego, they sent four points. We gave the answers to all four and they passed the Budget. You could have passed it yesterday,” Kejriwal said addressing the media here.

“It was only for ego satisfaction that they have compelled us to bow down. The LG has no power to raise any objection or make any observation on the Budget, it is beyond his power. So whatever observation was raised was against the Constitution,” he added.