On October 3, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena wrote to Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal and expressed his displeasure over the absence of the CM from Raj Ghat on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti.
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
In the letter that went viral on social media, the Delhi LG said, “It is with a deep sense of pain, regret, and disappointment that I 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.”
LG further mentioned that neither CM Kejriwal nor any ministers of the Delhi government were present at the Raj Ghat or Vijay Ghat, irrespective of the fact that the President of India, Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker of Lok Sabha, and other top political leaders of all parties were present to pay homage to MK Gandhi and former Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries.
कल 2 अक्टूबर को दिल्ली के CM का ग़ायब रहना अत्यंत गम्भीर
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) October 3, 2022
राजघाट विजय घाट पर राष्ट्रपति, उपराष्ट्रपति , PM सहित सभी गणमान्य लोग आते है
निमंत्रण दिल्ली के CM की तरफ़ से जी होता है
ये महात्मा गांधी का, शास्त्री जी का और देश की परम्पराओं का अपमान है
letter by @LtGovDelhi : pic.twitter.com/UxZjuBdoRb
It was pointed out by LG that though Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was present at the event, he left the premises without waiting for the President to arrive. He said, “While the Dy. Chief Minister was perfunctorily present there for a few minutes, he did not deem the occasion fit enough for him to stay the course.”
LG added that the President and the Vice President were invited after approval from the CM and Deputy CM. Both Deputy CM and the minister In-charge of General Administration Deptt (GAD), GNCTD, were in the loop for the same. He said, “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 Deptt (GAD), GNCTD, were in the loop, having initiated and approved the proposal for the same, as the file went up to the Chief Minister.”
Furthermore, LG said that the President’s Secretariat had clearly apprised the Chief Minister through his Addl. Secretary that the Chief Minister was expected to be present at the program to receive the President of India at Vijay Ghat, and the Homage Function was officially under the charge of Govt. of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).
Notably, the invite to the program was issued in the name of the Chief Minister, who was not even present at the program. LG added, “You were absent from the program at Vijay Ghat and the Dy. Chief Minister, who came there, left the venue without waiting for the 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.”
Kejriwal is on a Gujarat tour for the upcoming Assembly Elections
It has to be noted that while invitations were issued in CM Kejriwal’s name to the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and others for the Homage program, he decided not to be present for the program and spent his day in poll-bound Gujarat.
