Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal created drama on the outskirts of Gujarat’s capital Gandhinagar on Friday — the third day of his ‘reality check’ of Modi’s development model — by suddenly deciding to meet Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. However, his convoy was stopped by Gujarat Police near Sargasan Cross Road and not allowed to enter Gandhinagar as he had not taken an appointment with Modi.
After travelling through North Gujarat and Kutch district for the last two days, Kejriwal hurriedly convened a Press conference at 9.30 in the morning and in front of media persons read out the 16 specific questions he wanted the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to answer. Subsequently, he decided to proceed towards Gandhinagar to “directly avail” answers to his questions from Modi.
As Kejriwal was not allowed to enter the State Capital, his close aide
Manish Sisodia went to meet officials to seek an appointment with Modi. Till then, Kejriwal sat in his car on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar highway and waited for Sisodia’s return.
However, when Sisodia reached Gandhinagar a group of people shouted slogans against him and showing him black flags. He was able to reach the secretariat but was not given an appointment. Ultimately, Kejriwal and his team left Ahmedabad and the AAP leader returned to New Delhi in a private plane that he had boarded during a brief stopover at Jaipur.
“I am not against the BJP or the Congress. I am against corruption. I would still want to meet him (Modi) and ask him questions. If he doesn’t have time today, I wouldn’t mind meeting him at his convenience,” he said before returning to Delhi.
An AAP leader in Gujarat said that Kejriwal would again come back to Ahmedabad on Saturday and as scheduled, he would address a public meeting in Bapunagar area in the evening.
Meanwhile talking to The Pioneer, Gandhinagar SP Sharad Singhal clarified that the police had not stopped Kejriwal’s convoy, but they themselves stopped on the outskirts and allowed Sisodia to proceed to the Chief Minister’s office, where he gave a written request for an appointment. “Subsequently, they decided to proceed towards Ahmedabad airport, as the CM’s office told them to come in the next two-three days,” added Singhal.
Earlier in the day, training his guns on Modi in the Press conference, Kejriwal said that during the past two days he saw the ‘real’ Gujarat, which is completely different from what Modi is describing during his rallies and on the social media.
Kejriwal received support from the Congress. Congress spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil said ever since Kejriwal began touring Gujarat to bust the claims of Modi, BJP had panicked and was wondering how a “new artiste” has suddenly cropped up raising all sorts of issues.
The Congress also sought to make an issue of Modi not giving an appointment to Kejriwal by accusing the Gujarat Chief Minister of dishonouring the tradition of the State of welcoming guests. “In our culture, guest is God. Kejriwal was a guest of Gujarat and it is a tradition of the State that the Chief Minister, meets leaders and Chief Ministers from other States,” Gohil said disapproving of Modi’s action