Your office said you will not be able to join: PMO to CM Gehlot's claim that his speech was cancelled

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's tweet which alleged that Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has cancelled his speech at an event in Sikar where Modi will inaugurate various development projects.

PMO has responded to Gehlot's tweet by saying that it was Rajasthan CM's office that rejected the slot meant for his speech at the event.

Along with this, the PMO office has also asked Gehlot to be present at other events during PM Modi's visit to Rajasthan.



The reply came after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday tweeted that PMO had cancelled his speech at an event in Sikar where Modi will inaugurate various development projects.

In a tweet in Hindi, Gehlot listed demands, which he said he would have put forth during his speech, including withdrawal of the Agniveer scheme and a decision on the Rajasthan Assembly's resolution to conduct a caste census.

Gehlot said he welcomed Modi to Rajasthan through his tweet as he would not be able to do so through his speech.

"Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today you will be visiting Rajasthan. Your office PMO (Prime Minister's Office) has removed my pre-scheduled three-minute address from the programme, so I will not be able to welcome you through the speech. I heartily welcome you to Rajasthan through this tweet," the chief minister said.

Further, Gehlot listed various demands that "I would have put forward through my speech at the programme" and hoped that the prime minister would fulfil them during his "seventh visit (to the state) in six months."

Gehlot demanded the withdrawal of the Agniveer scheme for recruitment in Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Rajasthan government has waived cooperative bank loans worth Rs 15,000 crore for 21 lakh farmers. It has sent a one-time settlement proposal to the Centre to waive nationalised bank loans and offered to pay farmers' share. This demand should be fulfilled, he said.

The chief minister also said the Rajasthan Assembly had passed a resolution for conducting a caste census and sent it to the central government.

The Centre should take a decision on this without any delay, he added.

Gehlot also demanded national project status for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).

PM Modi will inaugurate six Eklavya Model Residential Schools located in Udaipur, Banswara, Pratapgarh and Dungarpur districts of Rajasthan. He will also inaugurate Kendriya Vidyalaya Tiwari, Jodhpur during the programme, the statement said.