AAP says a Surat-based traders' association was forced to cancel an event to felicitate Arvind Kejriwal following pressure from Gujarat's BJP government.
A two-day Gujarat visit of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was called off after his Aam Aadmi Party alleged that a Surat-based traders' association was forced to cancel an event to felicitate him following pressure from the BJP government in the state.
Mr Kejriwal was scheduled to visit Gujarat on July 9 and 10. On the first day he meant to visit the Somnath temple and hold a farmers' rally in Saurashtra. The next day, he was to attend a programme of the traders' association.
The association had sought permission to hold the event at South Gujarat University's convention hall, for which the necessary clearances had been taken, AAP said.
''But due to pressure from the government, the traders were forced to cancel the event,'' said Kanu Kalsaria, a leader of the local AAP unit.
In its letter to the University Vice-Chancellor, the association said it wanted to cancel the booking as the event had been postponed.
Association president Jay Lal denied any political pressure. "Due to the postponement, we have informed the university authorities that we would not be holding the event on July 10,'' he said.
The Gujarat BJP has accused AAP of spreading "falsehood".
"The party knows Kejriwal doesn't enjoy support in Gujarat and are spreading falsehood,'' said party spokesman Bharat Pandya.