AAP fumes over Arvind Kejriwal snub at R-Day
28 Jan 2015 12:06 AM GMT
In a new controversy ahead of the upcoming February 7 Delhi Assembly elections, BJP’s Delhi Chief Ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi was not only invited but also seated in the front row during the Republic Day parade for 66th Republic Day parade while AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was not extended an invitation.
The move led to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Kejriwal coming down heavily on the BJP led central government. “If protocol says it should be sent, then they should have sent it to me. If not, then they shouldn’t. There shouldn’t be any politics over it,” Kejriwal told reporters. Meanwhile, a Defence Ministry official said that Kejriwal was not invited because he did not ask for it. The occasion was graced by visiting US President Barack Obama.
Another top AAP leader Ashutosh tweeted that “Kiran Bedi is invited/given front row. Arvind was not even extended invitation for Republic Day parade. Politics even this pious day? Shame.”
Senior AAP leaders said that Kejriwal was not even invited for the parade and Bedi was seated in the front row of the enclosure which was designated for the parliamentarians. Accusing the BJP-led central government of playing politics, the AAP asked the rationale behind not extending invitation to the former Chief Minister (Kejriwal) for the 66th Republic Day celebrations.
Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers had staged a sit-in near Railway Bhawan ahead of January 26, 2014 over host of issues. The protest site was near Rajpath, where the Republic Day celebrations are held.
“The former chief ministers, former parliamentarians and former bureaucrats are supposed to write letter to ministry of defence for the invitation,” an official said.
The BJP described AAP leaders’ statements as “unfortunate”. “Unfortunate, on this auspicious day, we have some political parties (AAP) making political statements,” party leader GVL Narasimha Rao said.
The move led to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Kejriwal coming down heavily on the BJP led central government. “If protocol says it should be sent, then they should have sent it to me. If not, then they shouldn’t. There shouldn’t be any politics over it,” Kejriwal told reporters. Meanwhile, a Defence Ministry official said that Kejriwal was not invited because he did not ask for it. The occasion was graced by visiting US President Barack Obama.
Another top AAP leader Ashutosh tweeted that “Kiran Bedi is invited/given front row. Arvind was not even extended invitation for Republic Day parade. Politics even this pious day? Shame.”
Senior AAP leaders said that Kejriwal was not even invited for the parade and Bedi was seated in the front row of the enclosure which was designated for the parliamentarians. Accusing the BJP-led central government of playing politics, the AAP asked the rationale behind not extending invitation to the former Chief Minister (Kejriwal) for the 66th Republic Day celebrations.
Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers had staged a sit-in near Railway Bhawan ahead of January 26, 2014 over host of issues. The protest site was near Rajpath, where the Republic Day celebrations are held.
“The former chief ministers, former parliamentarians and former bureaucrats are supposed to write letter to ministry of defence for the invitation,” an official said.
The BJP described AAP leaders’ statements as “unfortunate”. “Unfortunate, on this auspicious day, we have some political parties (AAP) making political statements,” party leader GVL Narasimha Rao said.
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