'To hide corruption, bungalow's truth': Amit Shah targets AAP in defence of Delhi Services Bill

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday attacked the Kejriwal government for opposing the Delhi Services Bill brought in by the Centre. He said the row over the bill was not because the Delhi government wanted control over transfer postings of bureaucrats but because they wanted to "hide their corruption" and "the bungalow's truth".

Shah, who tabled the bill in the Lower House on Tuesday, said that in the year 2015, a party came to power in Delhi whose only motive was to fight, not serve. "The problem is not getting the right to do transfer postings but getting control of the vigilance department to hide their corruption like building their bungalows," he said while discussing the bill in the Lok Sabha.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been facing criticism for spending over Rs 50 crore for renovating his official residence. He is also under pressure for alleged corruption by his deputy Manish Sisodia, who has been accused of favouring certain liquor vendors while rolling out the now-scrapped excise policy.

The Centre recently told the Supreme Court that it brought the ordinance to control the transfer and postings of bureaucrats because the Delhi government 'harassed' civil servants of the vigilance department. The central government also claimed that the Delhi government illegally took custody of files related to the liquor policy case and the renovation of Kejriwal's house.

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Defending the move to bring in the bill to control services in the national capital, the Union Home Minister on Thursday said that there were provisions in the Constitution that allow the Centre to make laws for Delhi. He also appealed to opposition MPs to think about Delhi instead of their alliance when voting for the bill. "I appeal to the opposition MPs to think about Delhi, not their alliance...," he said, according to news agency ANI.

In May, the apex court ruled that the Delhi government had the legislative and executive powers over the administration of services in the national capital. However, a week after this, the Centre brought an ordinance, proposing to set up a National Capital Service Authority to make recommendations to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor regarding matters concerning transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters. 

In its reply in the SC, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that immediately after the apex court's judgment, Kejriwal and his ministers "went on a rampage", issued orders and posted them on social "media without regard for rules and procedures". The AAP ministers engaged in a "witch-hunt", harassing officers and making threats, which resulted in the nation cutting a sorry figure globally, the MHA said.

The Centre also accused the Delhi government of targeting officers in the vigilance department and trespassing into their chambers to take unlawful custody of certain files, India Today reported. These files included those related to the Delhi excise policy case, the probe into the renovation of Kejriwal's residence, advertisements sponsored by the Delhi government, and the power subsidy given to private companies, according to the reply filed in the SC.