Arvind Kejriwal misses Gandhi Jayanti event for Gujarat rally, L-G fumes at 'breach of protocol'

Delhi L-G V K Saxena pulled up CM Kejriwal for his absence; AAP said BJP is talking through Saxena

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena Monday found fault with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his absence at the official functions to honour Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries due to “prior political commitments”, saying it was “unacceptable and appalling” and illustrated “utter disregard" to memories of the two national heroes.

Saxena wrote to Kejriwal, who was in poll-bound Gujarat on Sunday and skipped the functions at Rajghat and Vijay Ghat, with a "deep sense of pain, regret and disappointment" about the Chief Minister's absence though the President, Vice President and Prime Minister as well as foreign dignitaries were present.

What makes this absence all the more unacceptable and appalling is the fact that President and Vice President were duly invited for the programme after approval from the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister in charge of General Administration (Sisodia) were in the loop...," he said.

Also read | Politicians pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on birth anniversary

Responding to LG's letter, AAP said it was important to understand the reason for the missive as the Chief Minister addressed a "very massive rally" in tribal areas of Gujarat against "empty chairs in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme” in Ahmedabad two days ago. "The Prime Minister is livid. This letter has been written by the LG on Prime Minister's instructions," he said.

Saxena said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was present at Vijay Ghat for a few minutes but "did not deem the occasion fit enough for him to stay the course".

The President's Secretariat had received the invite from the Delhi government and it was briefed that the Chief Minister's presence was required to receive President Droupadi Murmu at Vijay Ghat, he said.

However, you were absent from the programme at Vijay Ghat (Shastri's memorial) and the Deputy Chief Minister who came there, left the venue without waiting for the President to arrive," Saxena said.

He described it as "highly improper", which prima facie amounted to "deliberate breach of protocol indicative of disrespect and insult to the President". As per protocol, Chief Minister or in his Deputy Chief Minister along with the LG receive the dignitaries in national functions and it is customary for Chief Minister and Ministers to be present at functions attended by the President.

With the Delhi government being the host at the Vijay Ghat function, he said it was incumbent upon the Chief Minister to receive the dignitaries and see them off at departure. "Prima facie, it appears to me a serious breach of protocol and deliberate disrespect," he said.

Such events, especially Gandhi Jayanti is a national festival, that calls for commemoration much beyond issuing of symbolic advertisements in newspapers that your government very promptly did," he said adding just issuing advertisements does not suffice and the importance of propriety and bi-partisanship on matters of national sentiments and interests cannot be undermined.

While your personal presence on the occasion would have been befitting, since you were travelling as per a prior political commitment, it would have been in the gracious fitness of things to have nominated a senior minister on your behalf to be present on the occasion to pay homage to Bapu and Shastri-ji, as also receive, accompany and see of the President and Vice President," he said.