Reacting to the placard controversy surrounding him, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal defended the move, saying the practice to form visual formation of the chief guest is not new, but has been already there in Delhi Government.
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In a series of tweets Kejriwal said: "Some school students made visual formation of my name during independence celebrations. I was not at all aware that students would do this."
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"I am told it has been a practice in Delhi Govt. to form visual formation of whoever chief guest is (CM or LG). I agree this is a wrong practice. I will stop this practice forthwith," he added.
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The Aam Admi Party also defended the move by releasing photographic evidence of names of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung written in the stadium like 'Arvind Kejriwal' today.
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The party took to its Twitter page to say "Attempts have been made by certain quarters to show as if a new practice has been started in the placards displayed by children."
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They further wrote: "These photographs display that similar placards displayed by school children during Independence Day celebrations in the past. These photographs speak for themselves and this evidence should put an end to undesirable speculation which was completely avoidable."
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The AAP chief drew netizens' ire after his name was displayed instead of 'Jai Hind' or any other patriotic message at Chhatrasal Stadium in the national capital.