In 20-minute speech, Kejriwal takes jibes at ‘Maharaja Baijal’

NEWDELHI: On the fourth day of the assembly session, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal arrived at the House to speak on Delhi’s statehood. By Monday evening, after his 20-minute speech, in which he explained about the need for full statehood and took a jibe at Lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal, the Delhi assembly passed a resolution for Delhi’s full statehood.

“The biggest question today is whose orders will be heard in Delhi. Will it be that of ‘Maharaja’ Baijal or will it be that of the people? The time has come when Delhiites will have to start a move- ment for full statehood,” Kejriwal said, taking a jibe at the L-G.

No opposition leader was present when the chief minister spoke as leader of the opposition, Vijender Gupta, and BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa were marshalled out for repeatedly disrupting the House proceedings.

Kejriwal alleged there is constant “interference” by the Centre and the L-G in the governance of the national Capital. He also sought an increase in Delhi’s share of funds from the Centre.

“Delhi pays ₹1.3 lakh crore as taxes to the Centre annually and, in return, it gets only ₹325 crore. States like Odisha pay ₹10,000 crore and get ₹40,000 crore from the Centre. We urge the Centre to give us at least 30% of what we give (in taxes),” he said.

“In 1992, the central government had made a system to hold elections in Delhi. The British had done the same in 1935 under which elections used to be held, but viceroys had all the power. The Centre had made a bad joke with Delhi in 1992. I want to ask why is the value of a vote in Delhi zero?” he said.

He invoked Bal Gangadhar Tilak and said “Swaraj mera janam sidh adikar hai (Swaraj is my birthright)...we will implement swaraj in Delhi as L-G is only accountable to the PM, and not to the people of Delhi.”