New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced that he would start an
indefinite hunger strike demanding complete statehood for Delhi next month. “From 1st
March I will begin a hunger strike. I am going to fast till we get statehood. I am ready to face
death,” Kejriwal said in the assembly.
“Democracy has been implemented in the entire nation, but not Delhi. Public votes and
selects a government, but the government has no power. So we’re starting a movement on
March 1 and I’ll sit on indefinite fast for the full statehood of Delhi,” Kejriwal was quoted as
saying by news agency ANI.
The decision comes after the Supreme Court said last week that the centre and not the Delhi
government, had the power to order investigations against corrupt officers in the capital, in a
huge blow to Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
The top court also left the decision on who controls Delhi officers to a higher bench following
a split verdict between two judges.
Addressing the centre and state governments, which have fought bitterly for the last four
years, the court said “mutual cooperation is essential” to serve people.
“The Supreme Court order goes against democracy,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said.
He said his government will seek legal remedies.
Delhi is not a full state, so the city government has limited powers. The centre has jurisdiction
over land, law and order and police. In 2016, the Delhi High Court said as Delhi was a Union
Territory, its powers were with the centre and not the city government. The AAP government
challenged the order.
In July, a five-judge constitution bench ruled that Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a
state, but the Lieutenant-Governor has no “independent decision-making power” and must
act on the “aid and advice” of the elected government.
