The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) responded on Thursday to Ashok Gehlot’s allegation that it has cancelled his speech at an event in Sikar, where Narendra Modi will inaugurate various development projects.

In a Tweet on Thursday, PMO said: “In accordance with protocol, you have been duly invited and your speech was also slotted. But, your office said you will not be able to join.”

The Office further added: “You are most welcome to join today’s programme. Your name is very much there on the plaque of the development works as well. Unless you have any physical discomfort owing to your recent injury, your presence will be deeply valued.”

After PMO and Ashok Gehlot’s Twitter exchange, PM Modi also brought up Rajasthan CM’s health issue in his speech in Sikar and wished him a speedy recovery.

The PMO-Gehlot Twitter Exchange

In a tweet in Hindi, Gehlot listed demands, which he said he would have put forth during his speech, including withdrawal of the Agniveer scheme and a decision on the Rajasthan Assembly’s resolution to conduct a caste census.

PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development projects in Sikar on Thursday.

Gehlot said he was welcoming Modi to Rajasthan through his tweet as he would not be able to do so through his speech.

“Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today you will be visiting Rajasthan. Your office PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) has removed my pre-scheduled three-minute address from the programme, so I will not be able to welcome you through the speech. I heartily welcome you to Rajasthan through this tweet,” the chief minister said.

Further, Gehlot listed various demands that “I would have put forward through my speech at the programme” and hoped that the prime minister would fulfil them during his “seventh visit (to the state) in six months”.

While PMO responded to Gehlot’s tweet with a detailed explanation over the invite, saying his office itself said he will not be able to join, the Rajasthan chief minister later tweeted again over the speech issue and said, “Your office has taken cognizance of my tweet but probably they too have not been made aware of the facts.”

“My address was kept in the proposed minute to minute program sent from the Ministry of Health, Government of India. Last night I was again informed that I would not be addressing,” Gehlot said in the tweet.