Hours after reports on Saturday, 22 February, suggested that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s names have been dropped from the list of invitees for US First Lady Melania Trump’s Delhi school visit event, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra said that it is not their decision.
"We don't do such petty politics and the Indian government doesn't influence the US on whom they invite or whom they don't invite," Patra said addressing a press conference in Delhi on Saturday.
Delhi government sources had earlier told news agency ANI that both Kejriwal and Sisodia were to attend the programme since the school comes under the state government.
The First Lady of the United States is reportedly scheduled to visit a school on 25 February to observe one of the “happiness classes” which were introduced by the Kejriwal government.
These classes are part of the much lauded ‘happiness curriculum’ introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party government in the Delhi government-managed schools during their last tenure.
Melania Trump will be spending about an hour at the class. The first lady’s school visit will also take place at the time when her husband will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Trumps’ Visit to India
The Trumps will be landing in Delhi on 24 February, post which they will visit Gujarat with the prime minister for the inauguration of the Motera Stadium, where Trump will address the audience at the “Namaste Trump” event. They are also scheduled to visit Agra and the Taj Mahal after that.
On Tuesday, 25 February, the US President Trump and the First Lady are scheduled to have an open-press welcome ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. In the capital, they would also be going to Rajghat, Hyderabad House, the US Embassy for a CEO meeting, attended by top business leaders of the country. The Trumps will also attend a state banquet dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind, after which, they will depart from New Delhi around 10 pm.
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