Mamata supports Kejriwal's protest against Govt of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday supported Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's protest against the Govt of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill saying, she "stands in full solidarity with their principled opposition to Centre's devious anti-democratic and anti-constitution move to disempower Delhi government".

"I stand in full solidarity with you in your principled opposition to Centre's devious, anti-democratic and anti-constitution move to disempower Delhi government and reduce the status of Delhi CM to a subordinate to the LG," read a letter written to the Delhi CM by Mamata.

"The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which BJP government at Centre has introduced in the Lok Sabha, is a surgical strike on the federal structure of the Indian Republic. It also makes a mockery of the spirit of democracy by disempowering the Delhi government which is elected by the people of the national capital," the letter read.

"The bill violates the ambiguous verdict by five-judge Supreme Court bench in 2018, which up-held the pre-eminence of Delhi's elected-government in all matters other than police, public order and land," the letter read.

The letter further read, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are not able to stomach the humiliating defeat the BJP suffered at the hand of Aam Aadmi Party in both 2014 and 2019 Assembly elections."

In the letter, the West Bengal CM accused the BJP of trying to govern Delhi by proxy.

"They want to govern Delhi by proxy which is the real purpose of the proposed amendments in the GNCTD Acts," the letter said.

"I strongly believe that the time has come for a united and effective fight against BJP's attack on democracy and the Constitution," it added.

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced on Monday in Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy.

CM Kejriwal, AAP MLAs, MPs and councillors staged a protest against the bill at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.

( With inputs from ANI )