Kejriwal set to take oath as Delhi CM, tight security at Ramlila Maidan
New Delhi: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal will take oath as the chief minister of Delhi for the third consecutive time on Sunday at the city's Ramlila Maidan where a multi-level security arrangement has been put in place.
Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, Kejriwal urged Delhiites to attend his oath-taking ceremony to bless "their son".
Besides the AAP chief, his cabinet colleagues - Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, Satyendar Jain, Kailash Gahlot, Imran Hussain and Rajendra Pal Gautam will also take oath.
The Aam Aadmi Party has invited 50 people from different walks of life, who have contributed to Delhi's "nirman", to share the stage with Kejriwal during his swearing-in ceremony.
According to the police, 2,000 to 3,000 personnel from the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, including the CRPF, will be deployed as part of the security arrangements. Drones are likely to be used for surveillance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the ceremony, besides BJP MPs and MLAs from Delhi. The AAP had said no chief minister or political leader from other states will be part of the event as it will be a "Delhi-specific" ceremony.
On Saturday, Kejriwal called a dinner meeting of his ministers-designate to discuss the roadmap for Delhi's development, especially the initiatives that need to be prioritised in the coming three months, according to party functionaries.
Traffic regulations have been put in place in the area adjoining Ramlila Maidan from 8 am to 2 pm. As this is an event open for the public, "We are expecting a good number of people to turn up" senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said.
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Cong leader Prithviraj Chavan defiant after facing verbal missiles on Op Sindoor remarks
Mumbai (PTI): Despite facing criticism, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday stood by his controversial comments that India faced a "total defeat" in aerial fight with Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor on May 7.
The former Union minister refused to apologise for his comments on the Indian military operation against terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK in aftermath of massacre of tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in April.
Talking to reporters in Pune on Tuesday, Chavan claimed India faced a "total defeat in the aerial fight (with Pakistan) on May 7 which lasted for half-an-hour".
"One may believe this or not. After that the Indian Air Force got grounded and not a single aircraft took flight that day.... be it Gwalior, Bhatinda or Sirsa, there was a possibility of aircraft being shot down, so our complete Air Force was grounded," the former Maharashtra chief minister had said.
Hitting out at Chavan, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused the Congress of speaking the language of Pakistan. He said questioning the military action was akin to demoralising the morale of armed forces.
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"The criticism does not stem from the love of the nation, but love for Pakistan," said the chief leader of the Shiv Sena, a key constituent of the BJP-led NDA.
Chavan, however, remained defiant.
"There is no question of apologising. The Constitution has given me the right to ask questions," the Congress veteran asserted.
Chavan also questioned the need of having a 12-lakh strong Army when future wars will be about aerial combats and missiles. "During Operation Sindoor we saw that there was no movement of the Army even for a kilometre," he had said.
BJP Lok Sabha MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra said Chavan's remarks are loaded with sedition.
"He (Chavan) has refused to apologise. The Indian armed forces struck 100 kms inside the Pakistan territory and destroyed 11 air strips (of the Pakistani Air Force). He made remarks that the Indian Army did not even move an inch (during the military operation). This is nothing but a statement full of sedition, a statement of a traitor," Patra said, lashing out at the Congress leader.
The BJP spokesperson maintained the Congress appears to be standing with Chavan and alleged the Opposition party is playing into foreign hands.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should apologise for it, he added.
Union minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP insisted it was not right to devalue the valour of Indian armed forces.
Samajwadi Party MP Virendra Singh suggested that wherever armed forces are concerned, every Indian should be mindful of statements they make and ensure their comments do not demoralise the military.
Operation Sindoor was a result of "mistakes of politicians", he claimed.
TDP MP Krishna Devraylu said after the poll defeat in Bihar, the Congress is rattled and their leaders have been talking absurdly.
"Chavan's remarks are a prime example of this. This kind of disrespect to our armed forces is not necessary. If the Congress is angry with the NDA, it should show it in a different way and not drag armed forces into it," Devraylu opined.
AAP MP Ashok Mittal said such statements should not be made by any senior politician, especially by someone who has been a former chief minister.
The Indian armed forces registered a strong victory and destroyed terror launchpads in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Mittal added.
