The Delhi BJP on Monday attacked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that he "dishonoured" the national anthem by not waiting to take part in its recital at an event here.
A Delhi government official, however, denied the charge saying that the programme was still under way and the chief minister had to leave due to some urgent work. The recital of the national anthem was to take place at the end of the event, he added.
Kejriwal took part in a World Environment Day event at Thyagaraj Stadium and addressed a gathering on the occasion before leaving.
After the event, the Delhi BJP tweeted sharing a video clip of the event.
"What kind of AAP's hardcore patriotism is this...he (Arvind Kejriwal) could not wait for the national anthem," the saffron party tweeted in Hindi.
Some of the BJP leaders, including Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and MP Manoj Tiwari, also tweeted on the issue.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana alleged in a tweet, "Breaking News:@ArvindKejriwal dishonoured the national anthem. There is an announcement that everyone should stand up for the national anthem and people also stood up. Suddenly it is announced @CMODelhi has to go for some important work and he leaves without waiting for the national anthem. Kejriwal ji, you don't have even two minutes for the national anthem? Shameful."
A Delhi government official, however, said that the announcement for the national anthem recital was done in haste.
"As per protocol, the national anthem is always played at the beginning and end of an event. The programme was still underway when the chief minister had to leave. The compere made the announcement about the national anthem in haste, when the chief minister was leaving. By that time, even Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had not addressed the gathering," the official added.
At the event, Kejriwal asserted that pollution levels have dipped in the city in the last eight years despite swift pace of development and the construction of schools, hospitals and flyovers.
He said that both PM2.5 and PM10 levels "fell by 30 per cent" in 2022 compared to the figures in 2016.
Whenever development happens, it is accompanied with pollution due to felling of trees, road construction, kicking up dust, among others, he said.