Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that the central government had dropped his scheduled speech from an official programme in Sikar that was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

Although the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) rebutted the charge, arguing that the chief minister’s office had informed the Centre that he would not be able to attend the function because of a foot injury, Gehlot insisted it was clear from the beginning that he would participate through videoconference. The chief minister released the communication between the two governments to support his stand.

Gehlot tweeted on Thursday morning: “Respected Prime Minister, you are coming to Rajasthan today. Your office has removed my scheduled three-minute speech at the function. I won’t be able to welcome you verbally, so I am welcoming you to Rajasthan through this tweet. The foundation-laying ceremony and inauguration of 12 medical colleges today is an outcome of the partnership between the Centre and the state. Out of the total Rs 3,689 crore for these colleges, Rs 2,213 crore has been given by the Centre and Rs 1,476 crore by the state.”

Ashok Gehlot speaks during the ‘Labharthi Samvad’ at his official residence in Jaipur on Thursday. PTI picture

The PMO promptly responded: “Mr Ashok Gehlot, you were duly invited as per protocol. Your speech was also scheduled. But your office said you will not be able to attend. You were always invited to the Prime Minister’s functions in the past and you ensured your graceful presence. Even today, you are most welcome. The projects also bear your name. If you are not inconvenienced by the injury you suffered, please attend the function.”

Gehlot responded through another tweet: “Respected Prime Minister, your office took note of my tweet but they were probably not aware of the facts. The minute-to-minute programme sent by the Union health ministry mentioned my speech. Last night, I was informed that my speech won’t be possible. My office had conveyed to the Centre that I will be attending through videoconference because of the foot injury, but my ministers will attend the function. I will still participate in the function in the non-interactive mode because of Rajasthan’s interest.”

Gehlot attached both the original and revised programmes sent by the Union health ministry to his tweet, along with the consent letter for attending the function through videoconference. The original programme listed the chief minister’s speech at 11.26am for three minutes.

The revised programme had no mention of the chief minister while the addresses by the central health and agriculture ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and Narendra Singh Tomar were not disturbed.

Gehlot, who attended the event through videoconference, later told the media that he was seeing this for the first time that a chief minister was treated like this for an official event. “It is sad that the chief minister’s address was cancelled at the last minute,” he said. Modi also mentioned in his speech that Gehlot could not attend the function because of injury.

Gehlot used Twitter to mention some of the demands he planned to make before the Prime Minister. They included:

⚫ Respond to the demands of the youth and restore the permanent recruitment system in the army by withdrawing the Agniveer scheme.

⚫ The state government has written off Rs 15,000 crore of 21 lakh farmers who took loans from cooperative banks. Please allow a one-time settlement of those who took loans from nationalised banks after taking the farmers’ dues from the state government.

⚫ Start a caste census.

⚫ Give national status to the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project.