The decision follows Wharton India Economic Forum’s cancellation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s live video keynote address scheduled on March 23.
Following Wharton India Economic Forum’s cancellation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s live video keynote address, former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu has pulled out of the event and the Adani Group of industries of Gujarat, the event’s “platinum” sponsor, has cancelled its sponsorship.
Suresh Prabhu, a leader of BJP-ally Shiv Sena, has called the University of Pennsylvania’s decision an insult to a democratically elected leader of India.
Soon after the sponsorship cancellation, it became known that the industrialist Gautam Adani who had been invited to the event will not be attending. Sources in the Adani Group, however, said that “Adani had conveyed his inability to join Wharton India Economic Forum long back (almost a fortnight ago) as he has other pressing business.”
The Adani Group has extensive business interests in Gujarat including a 5,000-MW power plant in Mundhra and an adjoining port that imports coal to feed the plant. The Opposition in Gujarat has often criticised the Narendra Modi Government of being partial to select industrial houses, including the Adanis.
Wharton had cancelled Narendra Modi’s keynote address scheduled on March 23, which he was to deliver via live video conference, after strong protests from a section of students and professors. They wrote in their letter of protest: “This is the same politician who was refused a diplomatic visa by the United States State Department on March 18, 2005 on the ground that he, as Chief Minister, did nothing to prevent a series of orchestrated riots that targeted Muslims in Gujarat.”
“The most conservative estimates are that over a thousand people, mostly Muslims, died in those riots. Thousands more were forced to leave their homes and businesses. Human Rights Watch (among other international and Indian bodies) showed that politicians and the police in the state abetted the slaughter and displacement of Muslim Gujaratis.”
Meanwhile, popular writer Chetan Bhagat has slammed Wharton. “Dear Wharton, the country you belong to routinely makes friends with dictators and military governments who used guns to be in power. Remember that,” he tweeted.
Shame on Wharton. You have lost one more aspiring student who was looking forward to do a post graduate course from your university. Will never go to wharton. I think the wharton is also afraid of Modi because if Mr Modi becomes PM of India he will make India a more independent and strong nation, which the Americans and the west are scared off. Don't worry Modi Ji we the peoplle of India are with you. Time has come when the world will realize your credibility as a great leader.
Jai Hind
The decision of the Adani group shows how close they are to Modi. Modi's style of functioning favours capitalists such as Adani. Modi's style of functioning is a ruthless one which favours capitalists, at the expense of the common man, the environment and all rules and regulations. Do we want such unbalanced leadership at the centre? The answer is NO! As for Adani, it shows that they have benefited from Modi's ruthless leadership in which the common man and the environment suffers.
Mr. Modi is democratically elected CM thrice and in his leadership Gujrat growth rate is much higher as compared to national average. Communal tensions are few. Indian Students studying in US remember Gujrat riots which were happened a decade ago. Sounds rubbish. Us had sown the seeds of terrorism and the world is facing its fruits today. This is learning lesson and every indian should oppose these type of decisions.
Wharton India Economic Forum’s cancellation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s live video keynote address presents a serious opportunity for self-appraisal to the Indian democracy.A leader who is blamed for carnage of his own citizens is allowed to contest elections and rule whereas world community dislikes him. It is high time the largest democracy of the world rises to the occasion and rejects such leaders and their politics of hatred.
I am unable to undsrstand how a Business School enters into an arena, politically sensitive,takes a decision and then withdraw its decision,on the basis of "human rights violations" being pressed by "stakeholders".
Well said chetan . US hypocrisy needs no elaboration .
Good job Mr.Adani.
People in places should take strong action against those pseudo secularists and teach them a lesson.
I salute thee.
I am not a supporter of Modi given the way he treated certain section of his people in Gujarat. But why is he seeking to address forums in the US? Is he trying to seek legitimacy there? The more he tries the more his detractors will oppose him. The massacre in Gujarat will haunt him outside India for the rest of his life. Having said that the West is not holier than thou... There is as much hypocrisy if not more there.
I Like Chetan Bhagats Logic: Since you make friends with dictators and despots and the like, it is an insult that Wharton shunned our national baddy who used goons.
The courts haven't found him guilty of anything, he has been elected by the people, and now
Wharton wants to judge him?!! Should we go back and look at the people Wharton has
invited in the past and their backgrounds?!!
Hello Chetan Bagat, do two wrongs make it RIGHT? This guy was and is at the helm of Governance, but kept a blind eye for the carnage. Though I'm not equating these riots to Holocaust, what difference it makes to anyone if there are hundreds or millions of lives that were lost. Why nations should forget such carnage? If we do not regularly talk and write about such atrocities, future generations may never get to know them. It is possible that either Wharton did not hear about this guy or none thought of the consequences.
Chetan bhagat has correctly shown mirror to Wharton folks (& US government). Don't teach morale to others.
Just take a look at the statistics of how many muslims have been killed in Iraq and Afganistan war or by Osama (who was initially supported by US and it's ally).
It's all part of a conspiracy (may be supported by US Foreign affairs ministry or our dear Congress party) to keep away leaders, who doesn't bow down to US wishes. US wants, Indian government to do whatever they say be it FDI or signing nuclear or other deals with US companies. Congress is really scared of Mr Modi and trying "DIVIDE AND CONQUER" policy to gain in the upcoming parliament elections.Adani group has done nothing wrong by taking back the sponsership. Everyone has right to do whatever they feel right in their personal, business interest.
Denying visa to an elected leader, CM is attack on Indian soverignity, which is not new but must be protested by the government.
Dear Bhagat: Yes, America supported Dictators.. according to their policy.
But why you supporting BJP/RSS who slaughtered their own country Peoples.. (Women , Childrens and unarmed Men) ?
America is Supporting their Citizens anywhere in the world.
Good decision by Adnan Group. I am no supporter of Narender Modi or his brand of politics but who are these so called liberals of Indian origin settled in USA to pronounce judgements on what happened in India ? Much worse is happeing in the world why to single out Mr Modi ? I gurantee these kind of publicity seeking activities only increase support for Narender Modi.
Kudos...Kejriwal will make a great speaker for this event. Very happy.
The whole event was aimed at Mr.Modi's image makeover through Adani group. When that did not succeed, they have withdrawn the sponsorship. Adani group has huge business interest in Gujarat. Quid-pro-co?
Divergent views are one thing, but a cloud hanging over a person has to be cleared, no matter how successful that person is. No doubt Mr. Modi is a charismatic and strong leader, but one cannot erase the past. If he wants to do that, come out and express your regret, imagine was Gandhi would have done, and do so accordingly. As someone said " No matter is settled until it is settled right". If you have even indirectly contributed to the loss of life, then whatever successes you achieve cannot remove that.
However, forgiveness is the nature of all people and God. You cannot get forgiveness by denying the past, rather by accepting it and moving on.
we always talk about 2002 riots when modi comes to center point of
issue.why we forgot the sikh riots after indira gandhi's death and
killings of kashmiri pundits?
This is an insult to the people of Gujarat who by due process have elected him to be their cheif minister. It is also an insult to our judicial system which has so far not been inclined to name him as a culprit in the riots case.
The govt. must rise above party politics and take this up with the US at a diplomatic level.
politics as usual.
I agree with Chetan Bhagat. Modi is a democratically elected govt in a
free and fair election, three times in a row.
Please Email the Editor