Singapore trip in limbo, CM reminds Modi of the time US denied him visa

In his letter to PM Modi, Kejriwal said, “I have been invited by the government of Singapore to present the Delhi Model at the World Cities Summit scheduled in the first week of August, which will be attended by prominent leaders from across the world. Presenting the Delhi Model before them will be a proud moment for India but stopping a CM from attending such an important event is wrong.”

On how the file has been stuck for more than a month at the L-G office, he said, “I have to say with great sadness that I have not yet been allowed to go to Singapore. I wrote a letter seeking permission on June 7, about a quarter of a month ago, and still there is no reply. It is not right to stop the CM of a state from attending such an important event and is completely against the interest of the country.”

The L-G’s office did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Kejriwal added, “This invitation is a matter of pride and honour for the country. The world wants to know about the Delhi model of education, health, free electricity… I request you to grant permission at the earliest, so that I can make the country proud by attending the event on time and presenting the Delhi Model to the world.”

Kejriwal also said the ‘Delhi Model’ has been appreciated across the world and several prominent leaders and personalities, such as Melania Trump, wife of former US President Donald Trump, and former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, have visited Delhi government schools and mohalla clinics and said it should be adopted in other countries as well.

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Highlighting the time when Modi was denied a visa by the US to attend a similar summit when he was the CM of Gujarat, Kejriwal urged the PM to leave politics aside and think of national interest: “We may have political differences within the country, but in front of the world, we should forget our differences and put national interest on the frontline. When you were the CM of Gujarat and America denied you a visa, the whole country criticised America and supported you. Today, your government is doing the same by stopping a CM from visiting such an important summit.”

Reacting to the letter, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said: “Kejriwal does not hold a single portfolio in the government and has no direct contribution in Delhi’s development. It’s surprising to see his anxiety to visit Singapore to attend the World Cities Summit.”

In 2019, the MEA had denied Kejriwal permission to attend the Copenhagen C40 World Mayors’ Summit in Denmark. Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had attended the same summit in 2007 in New York.

The AAP government has had several run-ins with L-G Saxena since his appointment in May. The party had raised the matter last month and said the file was stuck with the L-G because of his lack of “administrative experience”.