Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has said that she did not understand why Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had decided to sit on an indefinite hunger strike.
She told news agency ANI, “Only a Parliament session can change the constitution for Delhi to be accorded full statehood and no parliament session will be held now, so why is he doing this? I don’t understand.”
Sheila Dikshit on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to sit on an indefinite hunger strike: Only a Parliament session can change the constitution for Delhi to be accorded full statehood and no parliament session will be held now, so why is he doing this? I don't understand pic.twitter.com/0RSyzzPseM
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2019
Speaking in the Delhi assembly on Saturday, Kejriwal had announced that he will sit on an indefinite hunger strike from 1 March in support his demand for the granting of full statehood for Delhi.
He had said, “A movement will start from 1 March in Delhi to get the full statehood. This movement will not end until Delhi gets the full statehood. To unite the people of Delhi and kickstart the movement, I will sit on an indefinite hunger strike. My purpose is only to unite the people of Delhi.”
He had said that he was ready to die for his demand.
However, many had wondered what purpose will it achieve since the power to grant Delhi a statehood was with the parliament, which will not convene until after the next Lok Sabha polls.
Unlike other states, Delhi’s elected government has a limited control over its administration because of its status as a union territory.