Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal shares ‘live telecast’ of meeting with PM Narendra Modi, triggers row

NEW DELHI: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s sharing of a “live telecast” of the video conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers of high burden states kicked up a controversy on Friday with the Centre accusing Kejriwal of turning serious deliberations into a publicity stunt and the AAP leader’s office later expressing regret.
The live sharing, even as the meeting was on, was seen as a breach of norms with government sources pointing out that a similar act by a Trinamool Congress leader during the PM’s interactions with political parties last year had drawn strong condemnation and that participants were well aware that an ongoing meeting was not to be leaked.
Kejriwal's office later clarified that the CM’s address was shared live because there was never any instruction, written or verbal, from the Centre that such an interaction could not be shared live. It was claimed that there were multiple occasions of similar interactions where matters of public importance having no confidential information were shared live. However, if any inconvenience was caused, Delhi government highly regretted the matter, the CM’s office said.
Central government sources said the live comments took the agency that aired them by surprise as it became evident that the PM was still speaking at the interaction. BJP handles like its IT cell chief Amit Malviya's attacked the AAP leader for hitting a new low while others said Kejriwal had come prepared to play to the gallery rather than address a serious situation.
During the meeting, Modi objected to the "leak" and said, "What is happening... this is strictly against tradition, our protocol... that a chief minister is showing a live telecast of an in-house meeting.”
When Modi said, “This is not appropriate, we should always exercise restraint”, Kejriwal responded, “Ok sir, we will be careful in future.”
Government sources contested points made by Kejriwal saying he spoke of airlifting oxygen, but the decision was already taken. “He spoke about oxygen express but railways says he has not communicated anything about this,” a source said.
“All CMs spoke about what they are doing to improve the situation. However, Kejriwal had nothing to speak on what he is doing,” the official said.
In his remarks, Kejriwal appealed for Modi’s personal intervention and flagged the worsening oxygen crisis, warning that a “big tragedy” may take place in Delhi if “quick” steps were not taken.
Delhi BJP slammed Kejriwal over the development. Leader of opposition in Delhi assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said the CM was doing politics even though Delhi has slipped into a massive crisis. Bidhuri blamed the Delhi government for the oxygen crisis and said when UP, Maharashtra and other states could announce setting up of facilities to produce oxygen, why was the Delhi government watching silently. “The government did not review the availability and storage of oxygen in the last few months,” he added.
Government sources said Kejriwal was found yawning and laughing during previous meetings. They said C-17 and IL-76 aircraft of the IAF had started airlifting big oxygen tankers from their place of use to filling stations to speed up distribution of much needed oxygen but the CM seemed unaware of the development.