NEW DELHI: Amid a walkout by opposition parties, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the Lok Sabha after a four hours debate replacing an ordinance the Delhi services ordinance that had been promulgated to handle transfer and posting of group A officers in Delhi. 

Union Minister Amit Shah introduced the bill in the lower house on Thursday to replace the Delhi services ordinance and responding to the debate on the bill, he said that the central government has the power to make laws on Union territories and Delhi being a Union territory.

The central government had promulgated the ordinance on May 19, a week after the Supreme Court had passed on the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government, headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

During the debate, Shah launched a scathing attack on the opposition parties for joining hands against the central government's move to bring the bill. He said once the bill is passed, the opposition alliance will collapse.

"They just want to save their alliance. That is why all of them are sitting here and taking part in the discussion," he said further asking, "Why were you absent when earlier bills were being passed? This bill is important because it is damaging your ally (AAP). But Kejriwal will say bye-bye to you after the bill is passed."

Shah said that the opposition parties were neither worried about democracy nor about the country.

Much to the surprise of the principal opposition, the Congress party during the heated debate, Shah give reference of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders. Shah said, "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, C Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad and BR Ambedkar were against the idea of Delhi being given the status of full statehood."

This prompted Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to praise the rare acknowledgment of Nehru by the ruling party, Shah however clarified that he was merely quoting Nehru without any praise. 

As the bill was being passed, members of several opposition parties walked out of the Lok Sabha as a mark of protest. AAP member Sushil Kumar Rinku tore a copy of the bill and threw it towards the chair, he was subsequently suspended by Speaker Om Birla for the remaining part of the Monsoon session for unruly behaviour.