He said, ‘Today is a black day. An elected government was not allowed to present the budget in the assembly. This has never happened in the history of India. The beauty of democracy is that everyone is accountable.

Pandey said, “Delhi’s budget was with the Center for 10 days. He did not take any action for the last 10 days. He knew that if he had to stop the presentation of the budget, he would have to do something at the last moment.

He claimed that instead of sending the file back to the Arvind Kejriwal government, the Center sent it to the Chief Secretary. He said that this step has shaken the very roots of India’s democratic system.

Pandey said, “Today the Center has tried to dig out the strong roots of democracy. The news is being ‘planted’ from the Raj Niwas (residence of the Lieutenant Governor).

Earlier, addressing a press conference here, AAP’s national spokesperson and Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that it is extremely “shameful” that the budget has been stalled.

He said, “We have been made fun of in front of the whole world. It is shameful that the Center is blocking the budget of a small state.

Bhardwaj said the Home Ministry had raised some concerns about the Delhi government’s budget and refused to approve it in a letter sent to the chief secretary on March 17.

He alleged, “He (Chief Secretary) sat suppressing it for three days. This is a bigger step than any anti-national activity. This should be investigated. The Center is behind this conspiracy and on its behest the budget is being delayed.

The senior AAP leader said that the budget is a sacred document and a secret exercise. He asked, “How can any ‘babu’ sitting at the Center question the expenditure of the (Delhi) government.”

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