E-Paper
Centre replies as Bhupesh Baghel skips G20 dinner, clarifies on Ashok Gehlot's helicopter claim
MHA replied after Bhupesh Baghel claimed that he would not be attending President’s G20 dinner as there were no non-scheduled flights going in and out of Delhi.
The Centre on Saturday rejected Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel's claim he would skip the G20 dinner on Saturday due to air restrictions in and around Delhi, and clarified that movement of governors and CMs on their state aircraft was not prohibited.
On Friday, reports, citing Bhupesh Baghel, claimed that he would not be attending the President’s G20 dinner as there were no non-scheduled flights going in and out of Delhi due to security measures for the G20 Summit on the weekend.
“Bhai, no flying zone ho gaya hai ab toh. Kaise jayenge (Delhi has become a no-fly zone now. How do I go?),” said Baghel.
Responding to Baghel's claim, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) took to X (formally Twitter) said, “In a news report, Chief Minister Chhattisgarh has expressed his inability to participate in G20 Dinner at Leaders’ Summit at Delhi on 9 Sept 2023 due to air restrictions in and around Delhi. MHA has clarified to the State that while a high tech security air cover has been deployed for G20 Leaders’ Summit at Delhi on 8-11 September 2023, movement of Governors and State Chief Ministers on their State aircrafts are allowed.”
MHA responds to Ashok Gehlot's claim
The MHA also responded to Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot's allegation that the ministry on Friday did not allow his helicopter to go from Udaipur to Sikar following which his programme was cancelled. Gehlot was scheduled to visit Sangliya Peeth in Sikar as part of the death anniversary programme of Baba Shri Khinwadas Ji Maharaj.
"Today there was a programme to go to Sangliya Peeth, Sikar, as part of the death anniversary programme of Baba Shri Khinwadas Ji Maharaj, but due to the G-20 meeting, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, did not give permission to go to Sikar by helicopter from Udaipur due to which today I am not able to reach Sangliya Peeth," Gehlot said on X.
"Spoke to the Peethadhishwar Shri Om Das Maharaj of Sangliya Peeth on the phone and informed him. I will soon visit Sangliya Peeth to seek blessings," he added.
Gehlot visited Shri Sanwalia Seth in Chittorgarh district on Friday and wished for prosperity of the people of the state.
In response, the MHA said “no request from CM Rajasthan has been denied”.
“In a news report, Rajasthan Chief Minister has claimed denial of approval for his helicopter flight by the MHA. Four requests were received from CM Rajasthan for flight permissions, including for Sikar, and all were approved by the MHA…. While all scheduled flights of commercial Aircrafts and movement of Governors and State Chief Ministers on their State aircrafts are allowed, private chartered flights require specific MHA approval,” the MHA wrote on X.
The G20 Summit, which is being attended by US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak besides other leaders of developing and developed countries, began on Saturday.
