New Delhi ∙ The fight between Aam Aadmi Party and Lt. Governor VK Saxena is intensifying in Delhi. On Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal withdrew from the program he was supposed to attend along with Lt. Governor VK Saxena, which led to the controversy. The new controversy is related to tree plantation in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.
The action in Asola Bhatti came after she withdrew from the scheduled meeting with the Lt. Governor on Friday citing health reasons. The Lt. Governor’s office responded that they had held consultations with the Chief Minister’s office about the program that was supposed to be held today on the fourth of July.
The Chief Minister had agreed to participate in the ‘Vana Mahotsav’ program along with the Governor. It has been decided to plant about one lakh trees as part of the program. The Lt. Governor’s office alleged that Kejriwal’s withdrawal from the program came after the Governor recommended a CBI investigation into the Delhi government’s new liquor policy.
However, sources close to the Chief Minister responded that the Delhi Government’s ‘Forest Mahotsav’ program was turned into a BJP meeting by the Lt. Governor, who did not participate. The Aam Aadmi Party on Twitter alleged that the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forcibly placed on the stage of the public meeting and the Delhi Police threatened to arrest him if it was removed.
The Aam Aadmi Party accused the Delhi Police of occupying the ‘Vana Mahotsav’ venue long before the event. Delhi Police took control of the program. ‘Vana Mahotsav’ is a program of Delhi Govt. Lt. Governor and Chief Minister of Delhi should preside over the program jointly. But all the posters are of Modi and other BJP leaders. The prime minister’s picture was given a lot of importance on the stage.
Sources in the Delhi government have given the explanation that the leaders including the Chief Minister abstained as a sign of protest against the government’s program being converted into a BJP program. The Aam Aadmi Party alleges that VK Saxena also avoided such a program on July 8. But the Lt. Governor’s office says that Saxena did not participate because she was in Jaipur to participate in another program.
After Kejriwal was denied permission to travel to Singapore, the governor’s recommendation for a CBI probe into the new liquor policy against Manish Sisodia, the second-in-command in the Delhi government, angered the Aam Aadmi Party. Saxena recommended a CBI probe based on the Chief Secretary’s report that the Delhi government’s liquor policy flouts rules and regulations.
Excise Department is managed by Sisodia. Sisodia had responded that Modi’s fear and concern is behind the sharp rise in Kejriwal’s popularity. Modi is afraid of Kejriwal. In fact, people have lost interest in Modi. Now the country’s hopes are on Kejriwal. We can expect more cases’ – Sisodia had responded the other day.
English Summary: AAP event turned into political BJP programme, alleges Delhi CM