Intense politics forces PMO to clarify on denial of Kejriwal’s date with PM

Delhi chief minister told can meet finance minister Arun Jaitley or home minister Rajnath Singh if the issue is urgent

GN Bureau | June 30, 2015


#narendra modi   #arvind kejriwal   #pmo   #delhi   #aap   #bjp  

Even administrative matters are being political colour and the Prime minister's office (PMO) is being dragged into these issues, which seems strange, and somewhat silly. The PMO has been forced to issue clarification after reports emerged that Narendra Modi had refused an appointment to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Kejriwal’s AAP government is at war with BJP –led  central government over Delhi’s governance and the Delhi chief minister had earlier written to Modi on the specific issue. Hence, whatever happens between Modi and Kejriwal it gets colour of politics.

Meanwhile, the PMO cited prior appointments as the reason for refusal of the meeting. The PMO has said that whenever the prime minister has time, he grants appointments to those wanting to meet him.

It made it clear that the refusal of the meeting is not any political vendetta.

The PMO also said that if it is too urgent, the Delhi chief minister can meet finance minister Arun Jaitley or home minister Rajnath Singh. Kejriwal had sought a meeting to discuss urgent matters pertaining to governance of Delhi like increased percentage for Delhi in collected taxes and availability of land for public benefit projects.

Kejriwal had sent a request to the PMO for a meeting with Modi ten days back.

Kejriwal had last met Modi before being sworn in as Delhi chief minister in February.

senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia, who was with Kejriwal had said then that “Arvind told the prime minister that both the Centre and the state government enjoy strong majority, therefore, it is a golden opportunity for both to work together to make Delhi a better city.”

Comments

 

Other News

Beyond toilets: Why open defecation persists in rural India

Despite the awareness campaigns on sanitation across India, open defecation (OD) is practised openly and widely in both rural and urban areas. Research shows that rural respondents are well aware of the negative impacts of OD, yet this awareness does not lead to toilet construction or use. In rural North I

What unpaid nation builders want from policymakers

The Supreme Court recently described homemakers as “nation builders” and fixed a notional monthly income of Rs 30,000 for them in motor accident compensation cases. The judgment was not about wages. It was about compensation. Yet it inadvertently raised a larger economic question: If a homemake

What the US–Iran peace deal means for India

After months of rising tensions, the United States and Iran have reached a memorandum of understanding called the "Islamabad Agreement." This agreement allows for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without tolls and provides Iran with relief from sanctions, depending on its complianc

V. M. Tarkunde: A legal luminary par excellence

14 Lawyers: Portraits from The Bar By Raju Ramachandran  Juggernaut, 248 pages, Rs. 799  

The Cost of Obesity

The latest episode of Checks and Balances focuses on the ticking time bomb of obesity in India, and Geetanjali Minhas of Governance Now spoke with a panel of experts. You can watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/mH

US-Iran deal: Path to peace or prelude to deeper regional quagmire?

In the midst of deep mistrust, the US and Iran are reported to have reached a framework deal for ending the West Asian conflict. But whether it will result in any meaningful breakthrough or pave the way for any lasting peace in the region, is in the realm of speculation.   During





Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter