The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday alleged that the Centre took over the Delhi government’s tree plantation event as the police put up banners with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the venue last night.
The event was organised by the Delhi government’s environment and forest department, reported The Indian Express. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Environment Minister Gopal Rai and Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena were supposed to attend it.
Kejriwal and Rai did not attend the event after the police allegedly replaced the banners.
In a tweet, the party posted pictures of the discarded hoardings of Kejriwal and those of Modi on the stage.
“People were told that if it [hoarding] is removed, action would be taken against them,” claimed Rai. “As per the programme, the [original] banner would be flashed on an LED screen and awareness programmes for children would be played following that. But a banner [with Modi’s photo] was placed on the LED. This is unfathomable.”
Rai also said the incident showed that Modi was afraid of Kejriwal.
“Attempts are being made to malign our government,” he claimed. “Satyendar Jain was arrested on frivolous charges. Now a conspiracy is being hatched to arrest Deputy Chief Minister [Manish Sidodia]. The CM had to go to Singapore but the file was stalled.”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Saxena did not address the allegations levelled by the Aam Aadmi Party but said that he wanted Kejriwal to attend the event, reported ANI. “This is a programme where all of us should work together,” he added. “I expect him to be present in future events to give a message that we want to work together for Delhi’s development.”
In the past few months, central agencies and the newly-appointed lieutenant governor have targeted the Kejriwal-led government.
On May 30, Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain, who was the health minister at the time, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering. He is in judicial custody.
This month, following his appointment as the lieutenant governor, Saxena had recommended an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the Delhi government’s new excise policy. In his recommendation, the lieutenant governor had accused Sisodia of procedural lapses and of giving undue benefits to liquor licensees. Sisodia heads the excise department of the Delhi government.
Saxena had also reportedly advised Kejriwal to not attend a conference in Singapore, saying that the subjects deliberated in the event cover different aspects of urban governance, which are addressed by civic bodies. In Delhi, the Centre controls the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Delhi Development Authority, and the Bharatiya Janata Party controls the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
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