Delhi Aam Aadmi Party Government’s occasion. But there’s picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi! Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did not attend a function organized on the occasion of Banmahotsav on Sunday, alleging that the Modi government has ‘robbed’ the entire event centre. Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena was the Chief Guest of the event.
According to sources in the Lieutenant Governor’s office, he and the Chief Minister were to jointly inaugurate the planting of one lakh saplings yesterday. The event was scheduled to take place near Asoula Bhatti Sanctuary. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai alleged that the Delhi Police, under the control of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, arrived at the event venue the previous night hanging a banner with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture.
The Lieutenant Governor has recommended a CBI probe into allegations of lack of transparency in Delhi’s excise policy. Kejriwal was supposed to have a meeting with him on Friday. Sources in the lieutenant governor’s office claimed that the chief minister was absent from the pre-arranged meeting due to illness. He could not come to this day’s program due to illness.
Environment minister’s comment
However, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that he and the Chief Minister will not be present because of insertion of politics into the event. In his words, “The Kejriwal government program has been turned into a political event for PM Modi and he was not even going to attend it… After this incident Delhi CM and I have decided not to attend the programme.”
Sources in the Lieutenant Governor’s office claimed that the program of the forest festival was decided on the basis of ‘mutual consent’ of Saxena and Kejriwal last July 4. It is said that the design of the banner placed on the stage was sent to the Delhi government on Thursday. A source in the office claimed, “The Delhi government had objections to the Prime Minister’s picture on the banner. But they were told that the Forest Festival was an initiative of the Government of India. Besides the Prime Minister’s picture, it also had pictures of the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister. And it remains to be seen.”
On this side, the Delhi government has alleged that the BJP people tore down the banners that the Environment Department had put up with pictures of Saxena and Kejriwal. A banner with Modi’s picture was hung there.
Kejriwal-Saxena equation
After Saxena’s arrival as the new lieutenant governor, he gradually began to clash with the AAP government. In the past few weeks, he first allowed a CBI probe into allegations of recruitment irregularities against AAP MLAs and Delhi Waqf Board chairman. Earlier this week, Saxena rejected Kejriwal’s proposed visit to Singapore to attend the ‘World Cities Summit’. But the beginning was good. When Saxena was sworn in as Delhi’s 22nd Lt. Governor last May, Kejriwal had his first official meeting with him and said the two had a good understanding. The two also decided to meet every Friday at 4pm to discuss various issues related to Delhi.