Jaipur: On Thursday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the PMO had prevented him from giving a speech at a ceremony in Sikar where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a number of infrastructure projects.
It has been reported by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) that they have been notified by Gehlot's office that he will not be present at the event. His "most welcome" participation in the programme was emphasised.
On Thursday, Modi will reportedly inaugurate and lay the cornerstone for a number of improvement projects in Sikar.
Gehlot took to Twitter to welcome Modi to Rajasthan, saying he could not do so in person but would do so virtually.
It is my understanding that you, Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, would be in Rajasthan today. Unfortunately, my planned three-minute address to greet you has been scrubbed from the schedule by the PMO. The chief minister of Rajasthan tweeted a warm welcome to the state in Hindi.
The PMO responded to Gehlot's tweet by saying his attendance at the Sikar event will be "deeply valued" and that he had always been invited to the prime minister's engagements in the state.
This is a message for "Shri @ashokgehlot51 Ji, You were invited and scheduled to speak in accordance with established custom. However, your company has informed us that you cannot participate. Please feel free to join us for today's event.
You have been invited to every event during Prime Minister Modi's visits, and you have always attended. You can also find your name prominently displayed on the development's plaque. The PMO assured her, "Your presence will be greatly appreciated, barring any physical discomfort due to your recent injury."
While in Sikar, Modi would introduce "Urea Gold" and dedicate 1.25 million PM Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) to the country. According to the announcement, he will also speak at a public meeting in Sikar.
Six Eklavya Model Residential Schools in the Udaipur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, and Dungarpur districts of Rajasthan will be opened in his honour. According to the release, he will also officially open Kendriya Vidyalaya Tiwari in Jodhpur as part of the programme.
In a subsequent tweet, Gehlot detailed the requests that "I would have put forward through my speech at the programme" and expressed his hope that the prime minister will meet them during his "seventh visit (to the state) in six months."
He insisted that the Agniveer plan for military recruitment be scrapped immediately.
Twenty-one million farmers in Rajasthan had their Rs 15,000,000,000 in cooperative bank loans forgiven by the state government. It has proposed a one-time settlement to the Central Government in which it would forgive farmers' share of nationalised bank loans. He insisted that this requirement be met.
The chief minister added that a resolution for a caste census had been voted by the Rajasthan Assembly and submitted to the federal government.
He also stressed the urgency of the government deciding on this matter.
Additionally, Gehlot pushed for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) to be recognised as a national project.—Inputs from Agencies