Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's decision to skip the reception for President Droupadi Murmu during her first visit to Chandigarh has become a fresh bone of contention between the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit with the later criticising the Chief Minister over the issue.
The Governor while welcoming Murmu to the Raj Bhavan on Saturday said that he had invited the Chief Minister for the reception and he accepted the invitation but later decided not to show up perhaps due to some compulsion. The Governor also said that Mann sent a representative to the event.
"He (Mann) had even accepted it. He may have some compulsions. No matter how occupied one is, I feel it is important to fulfil one's constitutional responsibility," the Governor said. The Governor's criticism of the Chief Minister generated a strong reaction from the AAP Government with Cabinet minister Aman Arora, who attend the event saying that it was "unfortunate" that the Governor raised a political issue from the stage of Raj Bhavan.
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Arora also said that the Chief Minister had a pre-confirmed event and deputed him instead to receive the President. He said that five other cabinet ministers and all senior bureaucrats attended the event. "However, the honourable governor made these unfortunate remarks against the chief minister," he said and asked Purohit to refrain from making such remarks.
The development comes days after the Governor and the Chief Minister were at loggerheads with each other over the former withdrawing permission to hold a special session on September 22, during which the government wanted to bring only a confidence motion in the House. The Governor finally gave his consent to hold a special session on September 22, during which the government wanted to bring only a confidence motion in the House.
The Opposition parties also lashed out at Mann over the issue. Shiromani Akali Dal chief spokesperson Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said " thanks to CM Mann, Punjabis have once again been embarrassed in front of the country. Bhagwant Mann should know that there are some responsibilities that come with the post of CM. Like Kejriwal, he forgot about those responsibilities."
BJP leader Anil Sarin said that it is a matter of regret that the President of the country has come to Punjab and the Chief Minister did not turn up to receive her.
