Aam Aadmi Party alleged on Sunday that a Delhi government even was “hijacked” following the orders from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office by the police who placed his photos on stage and threatened to arrest anyone who removed them, resulting in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal not attending the event. 

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai added that the centre sent in the police the night before to put up banners of PM Modi for a plantation drive at the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary. It was also said that the posters of Kejriwal were torn down, and police were seen clicking photos of the re-decorated stage, additionally, uniformed cops were also seen guarding the even in large numbers, and photos of the same were posted by the AAP on Twitter. 

Delhi Govt के वन महोत्सव में CM @ArvindKejriwal को शामिल होना था

लेकिन प्रधानमंत्री कार्यलय के आदेश पर Police ने मंच पर कब्ज़ा कर ज़बरदस्ती Modi जी की तस्वीर लगा दी और हटाने पर गिरफ़्तारी की धमकी दी

मोदी जी दिल्ली Govt के कायर्क्रम में अपनी तस्वीर लगाकर क्या साबित करना चाहते? pic.twitter.com/B3Hdo5KCLr

 AAP (@AamAadmiParty) July 24, 2022

"Last night, the Delhi Police reached the venue of the event and took control of the area. They forcibly put up banners carrying pictures of PM Modi... The banners belonging to the AAP government were torn off," Mr Rai alleged at a news conference.

The Delhi Police warned people not to touch banners carrying pictures of PM Modi, he claimed.

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, who is a representative of PM Modi's BJP-led government at the centre, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were supposed to attend the event and all preparations had been made, he said.

Sources in the Lt Governor's office said, "The said programme of tree plantation corresponding with the 'Van Mahotsav', was to be undertaken by the LG and CM jointly. A mutual decision in this regard had been taken on July 4th, 2022. 1,00,000 trees are to plant as a part of the program, and the LG and CM were to launch the same together today. One is left to wonder if recommending a CBI inquiry into an apparently illegal Excise Policy is taking the focus of the CM away from Delhi's environmental concerns."

Minister Gopal Rai, however, said, "An event of the Kejriwal government has been turned into a political event of PM Modi. The Delhi Chief Minister and I have now decided not to participate in the programme." Rai said the incident showed that PM Modi is afraid of Kejriwal.