CM Arvind Kejriwal can’t visit Singapore, says Delhi LG

Kejriwal said that he will now seek approval from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for the same.

Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena on Thursday rejected the Delhi government’s proposal for chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to Singapore for the ‘World Cities Summit’ scheduled for next month, saying that the event is meant for mayors, and it is not befitting for a chief minister to attend it, a move that is likely to further the rift between the two.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (PTI file photo)

Kejriwal said that he will now seek approval from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for the same.

“Having studied the nature of the forum and the other attendees, it must be noted that on a prima facie basis this is a conference of mayors of various cities. The subjects that are being deliberated in this conference cover different aspects of urban governance, which in the case of Delhi are addressed by diverse bodies ranging from the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), in addition to the Delhi government,” the note by Saxena, seen by HT, said.

The LG further said that the Delhi government “does not have exclusive domain” over the issues corresponding with the theme of the conference.

“A WCS Smart Cities workshop is also being organised as a part of the Summit. In Delhi, the Smart Cities project is being anchored by the NDMC. In such context, it is not advisable for a chief minister to be attending such a conference,” Saxena wrote.

Responding to Saxena’s note, the chief minister said he differed with the LG’s advice. “I differ with the advice of the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor. We will go ahead with the visit and apply for political clearance from the central government,” he said in a letter on Thursday.

If every visit by a constitutional authority in the country were to be decided on the basis of what subjects fall within it’s jurisdiction, a “funny situation” would be created, Kejriwal said.

“If the visit of each constitutional authority in our country were to be decided on the basis of what subjects fall within the jurisdiction of that authority, it would create a funny situation and practical logjam. Then the Prime Minister would not be able to go anywhere because during most of his visits, he also discusses subjects which fall in state list and do not fall in his jurisdiction. Then no CM would ever be able to make any visit anywhere in the world,” Kejriwal’s letter said.

Minutes after the LG’s office revealed that Saxena had advised against Kejriwal’s Singapore visit, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said in a press briefing that Kejriwal will now apply to the MEA for political clearance.

“While inviting CM Kejriwal, the High Commissioner of Singapore Simon Wong stated - ‘your insights will enrich our discussion on how we can make our cities more sustainable and liveable’. Kejriwal just wanted to showcase Delhi in a global platform. He wanted to show how a city as big as Delhi managed to improve its health and education system while also offering revolutionary schemes such as free transport for women and free water and power. But the LG, after sitting on the file for one-and-half months has now returned the file advising Kejriwal not to attend the conference stating it is typically for mayors,” Sisodia said.

Following Sisodia’s presser, the MEA said it received a request for approval from the Delhi chief minister for his Singapore visit to attend a summit on Thursday (July 21).

“The online portal for political clearance on our website has just received an entry in their portal regarding the Delhi CM’s visit to Singapore to attend the ‘Eighth World Cities Summit and WCS Mayors Forum’. The decision will be taken following due process,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on the sidelines of a press briefing.

People in the external affairs ministry familiar with the matter said there was a grey area regarding the clearance required for such a visit. If an application for political clearance for a foreign visit is made without the requisite approvals and formalities, it is unlikely to be cleared, the people said.

Requests for overseas visits by CMs are first sent to the MEA for political clearance and also the home ministry for FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) clearance, after which they are sent to the Cabinet Secretariat informing it about the proposed travel. But Kejriwal’s office sent the file for his Singapore visit to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for his approval.

When asked why the chief minister’s office sent the file to the LG instead of the MEA, Sisodia said, “There is no other way. We have always done it this way.”

A file for Kejriwal’s Singapore visit was sent by the Delhi government to the LG office on June 7. The summit will take place in the first week of August. The High Commissioner of Singapore Simon Wong in June invited Kejriwal to the World Cities Summit. The Delhi chief minister has been asked to attend a programme on the first day.

In October 2019, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wanted to visit Denmark to address a C-40 World Mayors’ Summit, but his request was turned down by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stating that his visit there as a speaker at a panel discussion was not commensurate with the level of participation from other countries.

Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri welcomed the LG’s decision and said the conference would have had no chief ministers, except Kejriwal. “The Mayor of Surat has also been called from India. When the chief minister of Delhi got an invitation to participate in this conference, he should have sent this invitation to the MCD at the same time because only the Mayor of Delhi could participate in it. Now that Special Officer Mr Ashwini Kumar is handling the work of the Mayor, he should accompany the Municipal Commissioner to attend this conference and go there and explain how the MCD overcomes the challenges of the city. Instead of doing so, Kejriwal decided to attend the summit himself only, which was unfair and meaningless,” he said.