Delhi Lt Gov VK Saxena slams Arvind Kejriwal for skipping Gandhi Jayanti event for Gujarat rally, AAP hits back

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Monday accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers of showing "utter disregard" towards the commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries on October 2. In a letter, the Delhi LG said neither Kejriwal nor his ministers were present at Raj Ghat and Vijay Ghat, memorials to Gandhi and Shastri, even as President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and representatives of foreign missions in India among others were there to pay homage.

Delhi LG VK Saxena wrote to CM Arvind Kejriwal for his absence at Raj Ghat and Vijay Ghat yesterday during the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. pic.twitter.com/yprIpyLvsR — ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2022

"It is with a deep sense of pain, regret and disappointment that 1 draw your attention towards the utter disregard displayed by you and the Government headed by you towards the commemoration of Gandhi Jayanti and the Jayanti of Bharat Ratna, Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji yesterday", the Delhi LG said in the letter.

He stated, "I am constrained to mention that neither you nor any of your Ministers were present at Raj Ghat or Vijay Ghat yesterday, even as the Hon`ble President of India, Hon`ble Vice President, Hon`ble Prime Minister, Hon`ble Speaker of Lok Sabha and a host of other top political leaders of all parties, representatives of foreign missions in India and common residents of Delhi, humbly gathered to pay homage to Bapu and Shastri Ji. While the Dy Chief Minister (Manish Sisodia) was “perfunctorily” present there for a few minutes, he did not deem the occasion fit enough for him to stay the course".

"What makes this absence all the more unacceptable and appalling is the fact that Hon`ble President of India and Hon`ble Vice President of India were duly invited for the program after approval from the Chief Minister, and the Dy Chief Minister and Minister In-charge of General Administration Dept (GAD), GNCTD, were in loop, having initiated and approved the proposal for the same, as the file went up to the Chief Minister. Moreover, in accepting the invite from the Delhi Government, the President`s Secretariat had clearly apprised the Chief Minister through his Addl Secretary, that it was expected of the Chief Minister to be present at the program and receive the Hon`ble President at Vijay Ghat," he wrote.

"Organising the homage function at Vijay Ghat, the Samadhi of Shastri Ji is officially under the charge and responsibility of Govt of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD). The General Administration Department (GAD), GNCTD organises the function and issues invitations thereof. The invitation cards for the program yesterday were issued in the name of the Chief Minister. However, you were absent from the program at Vijay Ghat and the Dy Chief Minister, who came there, left the venue without waiting for Hon`ble President to arrive. This is not only highly improper but prima facie amounts to a deliberate breach of protocol indicative of disrespect and insult to the Hon`ble President of India - the highest Constitutional Authority of the Republic," he wrote.

Saxena also said that "You may be aware as per standard protocol and convention, Chief Minister (or in his absence Deputy Chief Minister) accompanies the Lt. Governor to receive the dignitaries in such national functions. It is also customary that the Hon`ble Chief Minister of Delhi and his Cabinet colleagues are present at the functions during the visit of the Hon`ble President, Hon`ble Vice President and the Hon`ble Prime Minister on days of such national importance and historical essence".

"It was also shocking to see the general apathy in maintenance and basic upkeep. Right opposite to the Samadhi gate, there was garbage and C&D waste strewn and basic cleanliness was compromised. This again was reflective of utter disrespect of one of our most respected leaders and an insult to his memory", LG said.

Saxena added that just issuing advertisements in newspapers does not suffice and the importance of propriety and bi-partisanship on matters of national sentiments and interests cannot be undermined. "I hope that you would take points raised by me in the right spirit and take necessary measures to avoid such derelictions in future", he said.

However, Delhi's ruling AAP has reacted strongly to the LG's letter, saying it was being done at the behest of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh issued a clarification on Twitter saying this issue was being raised by the LG since the Modi government at the Centre is scared of the support his party was getting in Gujarat ahead of assembly elections. 

LG की ओछी राजनीति का जवाब। pic.twitter.com/HlAn0apphV — Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) October 3, 2022

Top AAP party leaders have been extensively campaigning in PM Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat where assembly polls will be held later this year and claimed to have received enormous support from people here.