AAP Vs BJP Over G20 Preps In Delhi Continues As Atishi Claims 'Wasn't Invited For Any Meeting, Inspection'

LG Saxena had said that barring CM Arvind Kejriwal, who attended just one meeting on the G20 preparations, no other minister of the AAP government was a part of any of the meetings.

New Delhi: Amid a war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and the BJP over sprucing up of the national capital ahead of the G20 Summit, PWD minister Atishi on Saturday refuted Lt Governor VK Saxena's claim that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attended just one preparatory meeting on G20 and said the ruling dispensation would have done a better job had LG Saxena involved them in the preparations, news agency PTI reported.

In an interview to the news agency, Atishi said, “Till date, the Centre has not given us a single penny for G20. We had asked for Rs 927 crore but we did not get anything. We didn't make it an issue thinking it will reflect poorly on our country. The BJP and the LG are saying they have done everything. This shows their arrogance.”

However, she insisted this was not the time to engage in a credit-taking controversy and said, “This is not the time to claim if this is their work or ours. It is a matter of pride for the country that we are hosting the G20 Summit. I feel that if we work together, it will be good.”

Earlier in the day, in an interview to PTI, LG Saxena had said that barring CM Kejriwal, who attended just one meeting on the G20 preparations, no other minister of the AAP government was a part of any of the meetings.

“The work done in the last two months has proved that if they (AAP) had worked all through nine years, the efforts required would have been lesser. I believe we should work together. But I have no grudges," Saxena said as quoted by PTI.

Responding to his claim, Atishi said, “It is very surprising he is saying this. As the PWD minister, I was never called for any meetings or inspections. He didn't call the mayor during meetings or inspection of MCD areas.”

“Had he called, I would have definitely gone. Officers would tell us about the meetings and we would give them permission. I was never invited for any meetings or inspection. Had he involved us in the preparations we would have definitely done better. I could not have gone for the meetings or inspection uninvited,” Atishi told PTI.