Kejriwal denied permission for Copenhagen summit as it is a mayor-level event: Govt

The government on Wednesday defended its decision to deny permission to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to attend a climate summit in Denmark, saying it is meant for "mayor-level" participants.

Responding to a question on the issue of permission, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said "it was a mayor-level conference" and a West Bengal minister is going to attend it.

Sources later said a separate protocol is followed for chief ministers and rejected suggestions that opposition parties were being targeted.

Sources in the Delhi government had said on Tuesday that Kejriwal was scheduled to leave for the C-40 Climate Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, at 2 pm on Tuesday, but could not take the flight as the MEA denied him the political clearance to attend the meeting.

The AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh termed the Centre's decision to withhold the clearance "unfortunate", saying it would affect India's image.

He also wondered why the Centre was "so much" angry with the AAP government.

Kejriwal was to lead an eight-member delegation to the summit, slated to be held from October 9-12.