New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal`s threat to quit if Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed drew derision on Monday with BJP saying he is running away from his duties and looking for an "escape route" and BSP condemning his "dictatorial" approach.
Kejirwal`s Goa counterpart Manohar Parrikar, a BJP leader and fellow IITian, also targeted the AAP chief, alleging he does not know how to govern.
BSP supremo Mayawati said Kejriwal is functioning like a "dictatorship" and he should realise that democracy is run by maintaining sanctity of the Constitution.
Mayawati`s attack on Kejriwal came as he hardened his stand and asserted his government would not bow down to the Home Ministry`s "unconstitutional" order which requires Delhi government to obtain prior approval from the Centre before tabling any bill in the assembly.
"He is sitting on the shoulder of the corrupt Congress government and trying to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. It feels they (AAP) are unable to run the government and hence are looking for an exit," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
Kejriwal yesterday threatened to resign if his pet anti-graft legislation is not passed by the Delhi Assembly due to lack of support from other parties.
Prasad`s party colleague Prakash Javadekar said the Aam Aadmi Party is getting "exposed" everyday by their antics.
"To resign from Chief Ministership, threatening is not required. He has to just write a letter...Who is he threatening?" he said.
Parrikar said if Kejriwal has guts, he should sit there, fight and get it done.
"He would have taken 3 months for it (passing the Jan Lokpal Bill), then I would have given him some credit. He is running away," he told.
Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi also hit out at Kejriwal by questioning whether the anti-graft legislation was drafted just to cause a "major confrontation while blaming others".
"I wonder if the Delhi Lokayukta Bill is drafted to be passed? Or was it to cause major confrontation to walk away while blaming many others!" Bedi tweeted.
Congress yesterday termed Kejriwal`s threat to quit a "shrewd" tactic to run away from responsibility and said it will support the proposed Jan Lokpal Bill provided laid down procedures are followed.
"Nobody is above the law. The chief minister wants to run away from responsibility. He is finding an excuse. It is a shrewd tactic," DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said.
He said Congress will fully support the Jan Lokpal Bill if the Kejriwal government tables it in Assembly following the laid down procedures.
