PM Modi’s birthday wishes for Kejriwal: ‘Praying for long life, good health’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday posted a birthday wish for Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wishing for Kejriwal’s long life and good health. Amid the ongoing Delhi-Centre tussle, PM Modi was among the first to have wished Kejriwal on his birthday. Kejriwal turns 55 this year.

Kejriwal on Wednesday tweeted a news report on Delhi, according to the Central government data, having the lowest inflation in the country. Kejriwal’s birthday this year coincides with the beginning of the Delhi Assembly session which is likely to witness uproar over the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023. The Delhi chief minister also thanked PM Modi for the wishes on Twitter, now known as X.

Kejriwal has been at the loggerheads with the Centre which intensified after Parliament cleated the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023. The Act empowers the Centre to take control over the bureaucracy in the national capital.

In his Independence Day speech on Tuesday, Kejriwal referred to the Act and said the rights of the people of Delhi are being snatched. “People are asking me how will I work now. Today, I assure the people of Delhi that the work will continue irrespective of whoever wants to take away the power,” Kejriwal said.

Under the Act, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi will control the Group A services including the appointments, transfers, and postings.

The recently concluded Parliament too saw hostilities between the BJP and the AAP after three members including Raghav Chadha were suspended from Parliament in the session. Apart from Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh and AAP’s lone Lok Sabha MP Sushik Kumar Rinku were suspended.