Please don't stop Delhi budget, Kejriwal writes to PM Modi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday (March 21) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the Delhi Budget 2023-24 is not stalled amid the ongoing tussle between the Centre and the AAP over the issue. The Delhi chief minister has written a letter to the prime minister in this regard, sources said.

“It is the first time in the country’s 75-year history that a state budget has been stopped. Why are you upset with the people of Delhi,” ANI quoted Kejriwal as writing in the letter.

The Budget, which was scheduled to be presented on Tuesday, has been put on hold with the Kejriwal dispensation and the central government trading charges over allocations under various heads.

Also read: Centre, AAP trade charges as Kejriwal accuses Home Ministry of stalling Delhi Budget

Speaking at an event on Monday, Kejriwal had accused the Centre of resorting to “gundagardi” and said it was the first time in the country’s history that the budget of a government was put on hold.

A video clip of his speech was tweeted by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Sources in the Delhi government said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has stopped the budget and it will not be tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday. In his letter, Kejriwal said: “This is the first in the last 75 years that a state’s budget has been stalled. Why are you upset with Delhiites? Please don’t stall Delhis budget. With folded hands, Delhiites urge you to pass their budget.”

As the chief minister lashed out at the Centre, sources in the MHA said the ministry has sought clarification from the AAP government as its budget proposal had high allocation for advertisement and relatively low funding for infrastructure and other development initiatives.

(With inputs from agencies)