Centre refutes Baghel, Gehlot’s air travel curbs claim

After Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said he cannot attend the G20 dinner on Saturday due to air restrictions around Delhi, the Centre refuted this claim and clarified that the movement is not prohibited to governors and CMs.

This comes as Bhaghel claimed he wont be attending the President’s Gala dinner as there were no non-scheduled flights going in and out of the national capital, according to reports.

“Bhai, no flying zone ho gaya hai ab toh. Kaise jayenge (Delhi has become a no-fly zone now. How do I go?),” Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.

Responding to this, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) took to X (formally Twitter) and said that In a news report, Chief Minister Chhattisgarh has expressed his inability to participate in G20 Dinner at Leaders’ Summit at Delhi on 9 Sept 2023 due to air restrictions in and around Delhi.”

“MHA has clarified to the State that while a high tech security air cover has been deployed for G20 Leaders’ Summit at Delhi on 8-11 September 2023, movement of Governors and State Chief Ministers on their State aircrafts are allowed,” MHA added.

Apart from Bhagel, MHA also responded to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s claim that his helicopter was stopped to go from Udaipur to Sikar for a program, which had to be cancelled due to this.

Taking to X, Gehlot said, “Today there was a programme to go to Sangliya Peeth, Sikar, as part of the death anniversary programme of Baba Shri Khinwadas Ji Maharaj, but due to the G-20 meeting, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, did not give permission to go to Sikar by helicopter from Udaipur due to which today I am not able to reach Sangliya Peeth.”

“No request from CM Rajasthan has been denied,” the MHA said in its response.

“While all scheduled flights of commercial Aircrafts and movement of Governors and State Chief Ministers on their State aircrafts are allowed, private chartered flights require specific MHA approval,” it said.