The Central government on 9 September quashed Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s claim of skipping the G20 dinner on Saturday due to air restrictions in and around Delhi. The Centre clarified that the movement of governors and CMs on their state aircraft was not prohibited, reported Hindustan Times.
Earlier on Friday, Bhupesh Baghel said he would not be attending the President’s G20 dinner as no non-scheduled flights were goingMinistry 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 and rs (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 the G20 Leaders’ Summit at Delhi on 8-11 September 2023, movement of Governors and State Chief Ministers on their State aircraft is allowed.”
Apart from this, the Ministry of Home Affairs 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, and following this his programme was canceled.
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The Rajasthan CM 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.
In response, the MHA said, “no request from CM Rajasthan has been denied”.
“In a news report, the 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 Aircraft and movement of Governors and State Chief Ministers on their State aircraft are allowed, private chartered flights require specific MHA approval,” the MHA wrote on X.
Meanwhile, the G20 Summit is underway in the national capital and 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.
