AIMIM and SAD lambast NCT Bill — and Kejriwal

“Why are you (BJP) opposing this man (Kejriwal). He is your genetically modified product. He came out of your think tank. What went wrong? I am surprised. He is still your man. Ideologically, he is the closest to you. Maybe you want to use him for some rainy day when you are not in power,” Owaisi said even as he attacked the government over the Bill.

Owaisi also suggested that Kejriwal was being a “hypocrite”.

“This is a lesson for the Delhi government. You supported the removal of Article 370. So, what goes around, comes around. You cannot cry victim now,” he said.

Pitted against the BJP in Delhi, AAP has adopted Lord Hanuman against BJP’s Shri Ram with renditions of Hanuman Chalisa often coming from the CM himself. Ahead of Gujarat elections, AAP demanded pictures of Goddess Lakhsmi to be printed on currency notes. During demolitions carried out in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri in April 2022, following a stone-pelting incident that involved clashes between Hindus and Muslims, AAP was quick to clutch on the rhetoric of “Rohingya Muslims” and “Bangladeshis” often used by the BJP.

In the House, amused by Owaisi’s arguments, Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his reply even engaged in friendly banter with the Hyderabad MP that left the House laughing. The Home Minister later said: “Owaisi ji aap alag team banao. Aapke mudde sabse alag hain.” (Owaisi ji, you form a separate team. Your issues are totally different.)

Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the SAD opposed the Bill saying she would stand by a Bill that spoke of true federalism. During the debate, however, she largely attacked Kejriwal.

“All the things in this Bill have already been implemented in Punjab. Mr Kejriwal, the CM of a small Union Territory, is ruling over an entire state. From DGP to chief secretary, all appointments in Punjab are decided by Kejriwal. Punjab Rajya Sabha seats are given to people from Delhi. Congress and AAP have come together on this. The cat is out of the bag. They were always together,” she said.

She then targeted the Treasury benches. “But the Treasury is no good either. They brought a Bill to kick SGPC out of all gurudwaras in Haryana. We are not being allowed to run our own religious affairs. So we are not with either of you.”

Owaisi said: “Shri Amit Shah quoted Nehru. In 1939, Nehru said the only final authority and paramount power that can be recognised is the will of the people. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had tabled a Bill in this house for complete statehood. Why is the government demeaning the dignity of this house?”