New Delhi: Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, caused a stir during a discussion in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, August 3, when she issued a brazen warning to the Opposition MPs over a possible Enforcement Directorate's crackdown on their residences. While defending the Centre on the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, Lekhi told the Opposition to remain quiet or face the possibility of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) visiting their homes. Her statement was met with objections from the Opposition, but she brushed it off, claiming it was made in jest.
The bill in question sought to amend the status of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, giving more power to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor in matters of transfer and posting of government officials. The Lok Sabha passed the bill through a voice vote after the Opposition staged a walkout in protest on Thursday.
"Arrey, ED, ek minute, ek minute, shant raho, tumhare ghar na ED aajaye (Just wait for a minute, be silent, else the ED will come to your house)," Lekhi said in Hindi in the Lok Sabha.
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During her speech, Lekhi criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, referring to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the '1/4th Chief Minister' of the national capital, implying that Delhi wasn't entirely a state. This statement added fuel to the already charged atmosphere in the Lower House of the Parliament, where Opposition MPs had been accusing the Union government of misusing the ED to target political opponents.
In response to Lekhi’s statement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAM) said, “Look at the power-drunk Modi government minister Meenakshi Lekhi. She is openly threatening Opposition MPs in Parliament with fake ED raids. This threatening statement makes it clear that PM Modi misuses ED raids to suppress the voice of the Opposition.”
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) too condemned Lekhi’s remark and said, “BJP leader shamelessly display their true colours as ENEMIES of democracy! MoS Meenakshi Lekhi was captured on live camera, brazenly threatening Opposition MPs with potential ED raids should they dare to raise their voices against the BJP government. This egregious abuse of power leaves no doubt that BJP will stop at nothing to crush dissent and muzzle any opposition to their authoritarian rule!”
The Opposition's allegations were not without merit. In July, the Supreme Court ruled that the extensions granted to ED Director SK Mishra were illegal. Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala demanded an independent investigation into all actions taken by the ED after November 17, 2021, the date of Mishra's first extension as the agency's chief. Mishra's tenure had been extended multiple times, but the SC bench made it clear that no further extensions would be entertained.
The Opposition's concerns were not limited to ED misuse but also extended to the encroachment on the powers of the Delhi government. Leader of the Congress, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, criticized the Delhi Services Bill, arguing that it undermined cooperative federalism by meddling in state subjects.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to the Opposition's concerns by launching an attack during the discussion on the BIll. He praised the Opposition for setting aside their other grievances and participating in the discussion. Shah defended the necessity of the Bill, asserting that Delhi was never a full-fledged state, and rules needed to be framed to ensure proper governance.
The ongoing political tensions between the ruling party and the Opposition reached a boiling point during this Monsoon session, with mic interruptions and heated exchanges being reported. This incident highlights the increasing polarization in the Lok Sabha and the growing use of aggressive rhetoric by some MPs.
As the political drama unfolded in the Lok Sabha, the larger issues of misuse of investigative agencies and the delicate balance of power between the Union and state governments were brought into focus. The Opposition's accusations of targeting and silencing political opponents through agencies like the ED raised concerns about the state of democracy and the rule of law in the country.
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