The Delhi-based Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday alleged that a Delhi government event was “hijacked” on orders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office by. The AAP accused police of putting up towering photos of PM Modi on stage and threatening to arrest anyone who removed them. The AAP said this move prompted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to skip the function.
In pictures posted by AAP on Twitter, posters of Kejriwal were seen torn, whereas the police were seen clicking photos of the re-done decorations. Unformed cops were seen in large numbers guarding the events.
“CM Arvind Kejriwal was to attend Delhi Govt’s Van Mahotsav. But on the orders of the Prime Minister’s Office, the police forcibly put the picture of Modi ji on the stage and threatened to arrest if removed. What did Modi ji want to prove by putting his picture in the program of Delhi Govt?”
The centre sent in the police last night to put up banners bearing PM Modi’s smiling face for a plantation drive at the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said.
At a press conference, Mr Rai alleged: “Last night, the Delhi Police reached the venue of the event and took control of the area. They forcibly put up banners carrying pictures of PM Modi… The banners belonging to the AAP government were torn off.”
The minister alleged that the Delhi Police warned people not to touch banners carrying pictures of PM Modi.
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were supposed to attend the event and all preparations had been made, Mr Rai said.
Sources in the governor’s office, talking about the alleged event, said: “The said programme of tree plantation corresponding with the ‘Van Mahotsav’, was to be undertaken by the LG and CM jointly. A mutual decision in this regard had been taken on July 4th, 2022. 1,00,000 trees are to planted as a part of the program, and the LG and CM were to launch the same together today. One is left to wonder if recommending a CBI inquiry into an apparently illegal Excise Policy is taking the focus of the CM away from Delhi’s environmental concerns.”
However, Minister Gopal Rai said: “An event of the Kejriwal government has been turned into a political event of PM Modi. The Delhi Chief Minister and I have now decided not to participate in the programme.”
The incident, Mr Rai said, showed that PM Modi is afraid of Kejriwal.
“Attempts are being made to malign our government. Satyendar Jain was arrested on frivolous charges. Now a conspiracy is being hatched to arrest Deputy Chief Minister (Manish Sisodia). The Chief Minister had to go to Singapore, but the file was stalled,” he said.
“The police are supposed to ensure the safety and security of people and not put up banners of PM Modi,” the minister stressed.
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