The AAP has accused the saffron party of trying to topple its government in Punjab by allegedly trying to poach its MLAs.
Punjab minister Aman Arora on Friday said the Centre has denied him political clearance for a Europe visit where he was to go on a knowledge-sharing study tour and said this shows the BJP-led government's "narrow mindset".
Arora questioned BJP that why it is "politically so insecure" from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership that it resorted to "cheap tactics" like denying political clearance for an official tour to abroad.
This is not for the first time that the centre government denied permission to AAP leaders, said Arora adding that earlier, it had denied permission to AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to visit Singapore to represent India at the World Cities Summit.
The development comes amid an ongoing political slugfest between the AAP and the BJP, with the ruling party in Punjab accusing the saffron party of trying to topple its government by allegedly trying to poach its MLAs.
The minister for new and renewable energy sources alleged that the Centre doesn't want that any new technology and come to Punjab or solutions be found to stubble burning issue.
"Sadly, the Union government has denied me permission to visit Germany, Netherlands and Belgium on a knowledge-sharing study tour on green hydrogen being sponsored by the Indo-German Energy Forum to tackle stubble burning and pollution," he earlier tweeted.
According to a state government statement, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had cleared a list of 13-member delegation, including Aman Arora, on September 14 but the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not issued political clearance to the minister.
Arora said from Punjab he was to participate in the event, which was being sponsored by the Indo-German Forum and neither the Centre nor the state government had to bear any expenses for it.
"While the Centre gave clearance to other states and other delegates who were to participate, but only I have been denied the permission and political clearance has not been given," said Arora.
"This knowledge-sharing tour from September 24 to October 2 was of much importance for planning and developing new and renewable energy resources in the state to meet future requirements besides ensuring a green and clean environment," said Arora.
The Union government's "such unnecessary interference will be a threat to the federal structure of the nation", he said. The minister claimed the success of people-friendly policies of AAP has presented a strong challenge to the "BJP's model of hate and lies".
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 "Punjab minister Aman Arora - File Photo")
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