INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Mamata Banerjee has been denied permission to meet Arvind Kejriwal
(File)New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal has denied permission to four non-BJP chief
ministers seeking to meet their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal who is on a sit-in protest at Mr Baijal's house for the sixth day
today.The request of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Karnataka Chief Minister
HD Kumaraswamy and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been turned down.This is getting more and more bizarre, tweeted Mr Kejriwal
who has been on dharna at the Raj Niwas since Monday evening, along with three ministers --- Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai,
demanding that the "strike" by IAS officers in Delhi be called off.Despite permission being denied, the four Chief Ministers will walk to
Raj Niwas from Mr Kejriwal's house, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.The Chief Ministers are in Delhi to attend a meeting of Niti Aayog, a
government think tank, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.Ms Banerjee had pledged her support to Mr Kejriwal
earlier this week, appealing to the centre to resolve the problem "immediately"."Elected Chief Minister must get due respect
May I appeal to the government of India and the LG to resolve the problem immediately so that people do not suffer", Ms Banerjee had tweeted
on Wednesday.Mr Kejriwal, who told TheIndianSubcontinent earlier today that the officers' strike was at the "behest of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi", took another swipe at the PM's office."I don't think Hon'ble LG can take such a decision on his own
Obviously, PMO has directed him to refuse permission
Just like IAS strike is being done at PMO's instance", tweeted Mr Kejriwal.Mr Naidu is among the host of opposition leaders backing the
dharna by Mr Kejriwal."The trend of using the Governor's Office for Political benefits of the ruling party at the centre, goes against the
spirit of the Constitution", Mr Naidu had tweeted yesterday."We express our solidarity with the Government of Delhi elected by people", Mr
Naidu had earlier said.Barring the Congress, a wide section of opposition parties has targeted the centre for what they call obstructing the
functioning of Delhi government."We live in a democracy
Can PM deny Hon'ble CMs of other states to meet CM of another state Raj Niwas is no one's personal property
It belongs to the people of India", tweeted Mr Kejriwal.Earlier this week, Mr Baijal had refused permission to former BJP leader Yashwant
Sinha, AAP lawmaker Sanjay Singh and Mr Kejriwal's brother, wife and mother to meet the Chief Minister."Even prisoners are allowed to meet
their families", Mr Kejriwal's wife had said.
