Federalism a joke: Arvind Kejriwal can't figure out point of attending NITI Aayog meet

Arvind Kejriwal is on a boycott spree. After deciding to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building, the Delhi Chief Minister has now decided to give a NITI Aayog meet a miss. Explaining why he won't be at the key policy meet, Kejriwal said there is no point in attending a meeting when cooperative federalism in the country has turned into a joke. "People are asking if the PM doesn't abide by the Supreme Court then where will people go for justice? What's the point of attending Niti Aayog when cooperative federalism is a joke," Kejriwal wrote in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal wrote, "Prime Minister, you are like the father of the country. You should allow non-BJP governments to work, do not stop their work. People are very angry with your ordinance. It will not be possible for me to attend the NITI Aayog meeting tomorrow." 

अगर देश के प्रधानमंत्री ही सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेशों को मानने से मना करते हैं तो लोग फिर न्याय के लिए कहाँ जाएँगे ?

प्रधानमंत्री जी, आप देश के पिता समान हैं। आप ग़ैर बीजेपी सरकारों को काम करने दें, उनका काम रोकें नहीं

लोग आपके अध्यादेश से बहुत नाराज़ हैं। मेरे लिए कल की नीति आयोग… pic.twitter.com/LN3YtFnfDs

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 26, 2023

Kejriwal can't get over ordinance

Kejriwal’s announcement to boycott the meet came following the BJP-led central government’s recent ordinance on control of services in Delhi. AAP says the ordinance takes executive control over the bureaucracy of the national capital from the elected government. The Supreme Court in its verdict on May 11 granted the control of Delhi’s executive services to the elected government, citing an absence of law directing otherwise.  

The NITI Aayog meeting, scheduled for May 27, will be held to discuss several important issues, including health, skill development, women empowerment and infrastructure development. 

Missing meets a habit? 

Arvind Kejriwal is not the only chief minister to skip the crucial NITI Aayog meet. Mamata Banerjee, the West Bengal Chief Minister, announced on May 24 that she won't be at the meeting. She, however, has not explained why she is missing the meet. Banerjee had also given another Aayog meet a miss back in 2019 saying the think tank had no powers and the meetings were 'fruitless'. 

Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal's partyman and the CM of Punjab, has also decided to skip the meeting. 

Meanwhile, Kejriwal has been on an nationwide run to gather support against the Delhi Ordinance when the bill comes to the Rajya Sabha. He has already met Nitish Kumar and Mamata Banerjee seeking support and has even reached out to the Congress.