Rajasthan CM to skip G20 dinner; claims denial of approval for helicopter, MHA denies allegation

New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said that he would not attend the G20 special dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, claiming that the approval for his helicopter was denied by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Responding to the reason given by the Rajasthan CM for not attending the G20 dinner, MHA said that no request from the Rajasthan CM has been denied. 
"In a news report, the Rajasthan Chief Minister has claimed denial of approval for his helicopter flight by the MHA. Four requests were received from CM Rajasthan for flight permissions, including for Sikar, and all were approved by the MHA”, the MHA posted on X.
"No request from CM Rajasthan has been denied. While all scheduled flights of commercial Aircrafts and the movement of Governors and State Chief Ministers on their State aircraft are allowed, private chartered flights require specific MHA approval," it added.
Gehlot's absence from the G20 dinner came amid Congress' displeasure over not inviting the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to the G20 state dinner.
A big-ticket event featuring world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as well as delegates of leading international organisations, the G20 summit will be hosted at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam in Delhi's Pragati Maidan on September 9 and 10.
Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda are among the invitees to the G20 dinner.
However, Deve Gowda informed me that he won't be able to attend the dinner, hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, due to health reasons.
A total of 170 guests are on the list of special invitees to the G20 dinner hosted by President Draupadi Murmu in the national capital.
Apart from foreign leaders and heads of delegation, Chief ministers of all the states, cabinet and state ministers, secretaries in the Central government, and other distinguished guests have been invited to the gala dinner that will be held at the multi-function hall of the Bharat Mandapam on Saturday (September 9).
The event's host, President Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar with his wife Sudesh Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former President Ram Nath Kovind, and former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will join the dinner party.