The Centre on Wednesday defended its decision to deny permission to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to attend a climate summit in Denmark, saying it is meant for “mayor-level” participants, but an angry AAP termed it a “very lame excuse” and insult to the people of Delhi.

Kejriwal was to leave on Tuesday for the C-40 Climate Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, but could not do so. The Ministry of External Affairs examined the request and “clearance from political angle” has been declined, Delhi government sources said.

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

“Election is coming and the AAP will take this issue of not granting us permission to present our good work to the world to the people of Delhi. We will expose the ill-motive and mindset of the BJP,” Singh, the Delhi Vidhan Sabha election in-charge of AAP, said.

The Rajya Sabha MP also said that Sheila Dikshit had participated in the climate summit as chief minister of Delhi. “It is a very lame excuse,” he said on the protocol issue.