Expressing surprise, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today claimed the Centre has not extended him an invite to attend the Republic Day celebrations.
The Aam Aadmi Party slammed the Centre for "not extending" invitation to the former Delhi Chief Minister while Congress said it showed "petty mindset" of BJP dispensation.
Reacting to the issue, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said that no rules and regulations would be flouted but reminded that Kejriwal had threatened to hold protest during the celebrations last year.
Kejriwal, however, insisted that he never said that Republic Day should not be celebrated and he should have been invited if the protocol states it.
"I haven't got any invitation. If protocol says it should be sent, then they should have sent it to me. If not, then they shouldn't. There shouldn't be any politics over it," Kejriwal told reporters.
The former Delhi Chief Minister also clarified that he never made any remark that Republic Day should not be celebrated as being attributed to him by BJP.
"I never said we should not celebrate it (Republic Day)," he said.
AAP leader Ashutosh said Kejriwal was Chief Minister of Delhi and he should have been invited to the celebrations.
"He is not only the former CM but also the most popular leader of Delhi, a respected person and when he doesn't get invitation, then there are doubts in peoples mind whether he was not invited due to political hatred," he said.
Asked about the issue, Vardhan said he was not aware of it but added Centre was not going to flout any rules.
"I don't think anybody in our government is going to flout these rules and regulations," he said.
BJP Delhi Chief Satish Upadhyay felt Kejriwal did not deserve to be invited because of his "anarchist behaviour".
