Express View: Delay in approval for budget is part of a worrying pattern in Delhi

The planned allocations, earnings and expenditures of governments are — they should be — challenged in the legislature and other public forums by a vigilant Opposition. The task of the Opposition cannot be, however, to pose hurdles in the elected government’s presentation of the budget. The delayed approval for the tabling of Delhi government’s budget by the Union Home Ministry, with Lieutenant-Governor V K Saxena appearing to deliberately dawdle over it, reinforces the impression that procedural technicalities are being weaponised by the Centre for political ends. This latest episode is part of a larger pattern of attrition between the AAP government in Delhi and the BJP-led government at the Centre.

The budget was scheduled to be tabled Tuesday morning. On Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Centre of “stopping” the budget. Under the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act and other provisions that delineate the powers of the Delhi government vis a vis the Centre, the budget is sent to the L-G for his comments and then, to the Union Home Ministry for approval. Kejriwal and Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot have accused the Ministry and Saxena of sitting on clearance for the document — it was only on Tuesday evening that the Ministry finally gave its approval. Of course, Saxena, who assumed office in May last year, has had several run-ins with the AAP government in the past. The tussle between the government and L-G has ranged from the latter sitting on proposals to send teachers for training to Finland to the AAP crying foul over bureaucrats bypassing the elected government and taking orders directly from Saxena. On the new excise policy, the L-G recommended to the Centre that a CBI investigation be conducted into the matter — it is in this case that former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has been arrested. No government is above the law. Yet, the use of central agencies to selectively target Opposition parties and leaders is disturbing in Delhi, as it is elsewhere.

As the main Opposition party in Delhi, the BJP can take on the AAP in the assembly and elsewhere vigorously. But the actions of the L-G and the home ministry of the government it leads at the Centre create the perception that it is using all means, fair, not-so-fair and foul, to target its political opponent. Going forward, it is incumbent on all the players in the capital’s political theatre to play their roles, while acknowledging their limits.