Amid the ongoing tussle between Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, an event on "Van Mahotsav" at Asola Bhatti Mines has become a new point of friction after the Delhi Chief Minister on Sunday skipped a pre decided event organised by the State Government's forest department.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai alleged that the Centre hijacked an event of the Kejriwal Government and Delhi Police personnel tore the banner of the Chief Minister's pictures and replaced it with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the venue late on Saturday night.
He alleged that the Delhi Police acted on the directions of the Prime Minister's Office. "The Delhi Police warned people not to touch banners carrying pictures of Modi while the banners belonging to the AAP Government were torn down," he claimed. Rai said Kejriwal was supposed to attend the event but decided not to participate in it following the incident.
Kejriwal had also skipped the weekly meeting with the LG on Friday, against the backdrop of the LG recommending a CBI probe into alleged lapses and irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi Government's excise policy. "I wanted Kejriwal to attend this event but due to some reasons, he could not. This is a programme where all of us should work together. I expect him to be present in future events to give a message that we want to work together for Delhi's development," the LG said later.
When contacted, sources in the Raj Niwas said the CM did not appear at the programme due to ill health despite prior agreement to launch the plantation drive for one lakh saplings together by him and Saxena.
"Delhi Environment Minister has said in the Press conference the programme was "hijacked" and Kejriwal's posters were torn. Nothing could be far from truth. Standees and bill boards displaying Chief Minister's pictures are there for all to see even now," sources said
Sources further added that the said programme of Tree Plantation corresponding with the 'Van Mahotsav' was to be undertaken by the LG and the CM jointly.
"A mutual decision in this regard had been taken on July 4th, 2022. 1,00,000 trees are to planted as a part of the programme, and the LG and the CM were to launch the same together on Sunday. It was a mutually agreed upon programme involving various dignitaries, departments and agencies, under the overall aegis of the "Van Mahotsav" programme of the Government of India that has been running for decades and is organised by respective State Governments. Everything had to be mutually decided. The organising Department was Environment & Forest Delhi," the sources said.
"The AAP Government did not deliberately invite even the area MP, despite the fact that during the last joint visit to the Bhatti Mines by the LG and the CM, they ensured their area MLA to be present. Although they were asked specifically to not invite MP or MLA and give a political hue to the visit, in the instant matter, the final designs of back drop standies, stage sitting plan etc were sent to them duly approved by LG, as long back as Thursday last," sources added.
The 'Van Mahotsav' which started from the Central Ridge on July 11 was to culminate with the plantation of 1 lakh saplings at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary on Sunday.
In the Press conference, Rai alleged that the Delhi Police reached the location of the event and took control of the pandal last night. "They forcibly put up banners carrying pictures of Modi... Banners carrying photos of the LG and CM were taken down," he added.
"An event of the Kejriwal Government has been turned into a political event of Modi and he was not even going to attend it... Following the incident, the Delhi CM and I have now decided not to participate in the programme," Rai said.
In photographs shared by the Delhi Government, the Delhi Police personnel can be seen around the main stage and at the venue, with several banners with pictures of the Delhi CM torn at the venue. The banner on the stage bears a photo of the Prime Minister on one side and photographs of the Delhi L-G and the CM on the other side of the banner.
"The hoarding we designed for the backdrop of the stage was one bearing photographs of the LG on the one side and the Delhi CM on the other side. We do not understand what message the PMO wants to send to us by forcibly removing this banner and installing one with a photograph of the Prime Minister in it," he said, saying the job of the Delhi Police is to provide protection to people and not forcibly remove and install banners at night.