Modi's Rajasthan event, according to Gehlot, was postponed, although the PMO disputes this

 

On Thursday, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot claimed that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had taken his three-minute address out of the schedule for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's event in Sikar to inaugurate and lay the foundation for 12 medical colleges in the election-bound state of Rajasthan. His demands included ending the Agniveer program and waiving loan payments.

The PMO promptly responded by stating that Gehlot's office had informed them that the chief minister would not be able to participate in the program. The chief minister was duly invited, and his speech was scheduled in accordance with etiquette, it was said. The PMO said in a tweet that Gehlot has consistently been invited and has previously attended Modi's events.

"You're welcome to participate in today's program. Your name is prominently displayed on the plaque for the construction project as well. Your presence will be very appreciated unless your recent injury has caused any physical discomfort.

Gehlot already stated in a Hindi tweet that he would be unable to welcome Modi. I hereby extend a warm welcome to you in Rajasthan via this tweet. He said that the Rajasthan and the Union governments were working together to establish medical colleges and lay their foundations. The project cost for these medical colleges is $3,689 crore, of which the state government contributed $1,476 crore and the federal government $2,213 crore.

When alluding to Modi's sixth trip to Rajasthan in the past six months, he claimed that he was making the demands through a tweet.

The Agniveer plan, which caused demonstrations last year over a shorter duration and fewer post-service incentives, should be scrapped, he added, citing the demand of the youth, particularly in Rajasthan's Shekhawati region.

Gehlot said that the state government has forgiven 2.1 million farmers loans totaling 15,000 crore from all the cooperative banks covered by it. "We have offered the federal government a one-time settlement proposal to waive the loans of nationalized banks...This request should be granted.