Please don’t stop the Delhi Budget, Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a letter today after the latest row between his government and the Centre erupted yesterday.
“It is the first time in the country’s 75-year history that a state budget has been stopped. Why are you angry with the people of Delhi,” the Delhi Chief Minister wrote.
“The people of Delhi are pleading with folded hands, please pass our Budget,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal yesterday declared that the Delhi Budget would not be presented today and blamed the Centre, calling it “hooliganism”.
The Centre has asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to resend the Budget after addressing concerns flagged by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
The Union Home Ministry said it had been waiting for a reply from the Delhi government for the last four days.
The Lieutenant Governor’s office said the Centre’s concerns were communicated to the Delhi government in time, but Delhi’s new finance minister, Kailash Gahlot, accused the Chief Secretary of “hiding” the file.
Mr Kejriwal told News18 India: “This is the first time in the history of India… The budget of Delhi was to come tomorrow morning, but the Central government has put a stop to our budget. Delhi’s budget will not come tomorrow morning.”
He added: “From today, the employees of Delhi government, doctors and teachers will not get their salary… This is out and out hooliganism.”
