Raipur: In a recent development, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced on Friday that he would abstain from attending the much-anticipated G20 dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, citing the implementation of a no-fly zone in Delhi as the chief reason. This security measure, enacted for the G20 summit over the weekend, has disrupted non-scheduled flight operations in and out of the capital.
Expressing his predicament, Baghel remarked, “Delhi has now become a no-fly zone. How do I go?” His concerns stem from the notice issued by Delhi Airport, which clarified that during the summit’s duration, only scheduled airline services and special flights designated for the G20 summit will be granted permission to operate at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. The directive effectively bars all non-scheduled flights, encompassing general aviation and non-scheduled charter flights, from utilizing the airport facilities while the summit activities are underway.
Despite this hiccup, the grand event is set to witness the participation of prominent figures from various states. Confirming their attendance are West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin, and Jharkhand’s Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Furthermore, Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also pledged his participation, following extensive deliberations held in the later hours amongst the INDIA alliance constituents.
However, the event has stirred controversy as several prominent opposition leaders were not invited to the presidential dinner. Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge is absent from the guest list, sparking discussions on the selection criteria for the invitees to this prestigious event, which forms a significant part of the G20 Summit itinerary.