The business school cancelled the invite to Mr. Modi on Sunday due to pressure and uproar from a section of faculty, students there and civil society activists.
Activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal has been invited to replace Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the keynote speaker at Wharton Business School on March 23. The business school cancelled the invite to Mr. Modi on Sunday due to pressure and uproar from a section of faculty, students there and civil society activists.
Confirming the invite, an Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson said Mr. Kejriwal was invited to attend the event but due to his “indefinite fast” in Delhi from March 23 he would not be able to go there physically. “So Mr. Kejriwal has agreed to address the Wharton India Economic Forum through video-conferencing,” she added.
Within 24 hours of the cancellation of the invite to Mr. Modi, the Gujarat headquartered Adani Group withdrew as the sponsor of the event.
Shiv Sena leader Suresh Prabhu also decided to skip the event. “This is not just an insult to the Gujarat Chief Minister but to all of India,” he said.
Keywords: Wharton Business School, Kejriwal








We, the Indians, have always been used against our own people since last one thousand year. This event shows that not much have changed. Mr Kejriwal has accepted the invitation and might be experiencing himself a replacement of Modi in politics.
Kejriwal is not the correct replacement for Modi. Nitish Kumar would
have been the right man as he is making changes in a very backward state
like Bihar.
denial of visa to US, running away midway from an interview with karan thapar on CNN-IBN, and now another mockery of his existence as "leader" of Gujrat...
Mr. Modi never give up and don't even feel ashamed!!!!!!!
I dont like Narendra Modi for his aggressive politics and communal
approach and dictatorial stance but what the Wharton has done is wholly
an insult to India.When Lalu Yadav was invited to Harvard BJP didnt
protest just because it disliked him.Similarly when Indira went to
trinity in 1979 she refrained from criticizing the then Janatha
party.Hope Indian government issues a statement against this humiliation
of India by Wharton.I still wonder why Indian students at the institute
are still silent
This is a slap on the face for the powers that be that chose to ignore
and underestimate the strong undercurrent in the Indian society.
There is anguish and desperation among masses and especially
youngsters against the apathetic approach of the successive
governments towards solving their problems. The fact that Modi has
almost emerged as a PM candidate does not change anything for the
common man. If anything, it serves the bloated egos within the BJP.
By canceling Modi's speech, and inviting the AAP convener instead,
Wharton may have inadvertently put Arvind Kejriwal in the spotlight
which he has been deprived of unjustly by electronic and print media
in the face of threat from the high and mighty. I hope Arvindji lives
up to the expectations.
Mr. Kejriwal should not accept Wharton's invitation because they are playing one
Indian against the other.
certainly it is insult to whole of India when a publicly elected leader has been treated like this. why some Indian students behave like this I wonder. but Narendra Modi is unstoppable. let this be clear
Mr. Kejriwal is a very honest, tireless and intelligent person wishing corruption free success of India. However in this case he should decline the invitation to address Wharton school of business. The school first invites and then succumbs to the opposition by So called activists and dis-invites Modi. It is not the person Modi but leader of a state and nation. This is therefore an insult to the state of Gujarat and nation of India. Who knows tomorrow the school can dis-invite Mr. Kejriwal also.
I don't think that Mr. Kejriwal will do any justice speaking at Business
School. The organizer could find a better person to speak at this
platform.
I have to agree to Suresh Prabhu for once: This is indeed an insult to Modi. But having him there in Wharton would have been an insult to the Institute. If Adani is the platinum sponsor, we know why Modi was considered in the first place.
If Mr.Kejriwal had any sense of pride or self-respect,he would do well to decline to deliver the Keynote Address at the Wharton Business School on the invitation of the Indian Student Body which
gutlessly buckled under pressure from a section of faculty, students and civil rights activists.
Mr Kejriwal should not accept this invite. He will surely not get the support of Indians
This news made my day. Thank you Wharton for being sensitive to the rest of India
(non-Gujarat). Thank you!
Arvind, don't accept the invitation from Wharton. An insult to any national leader is an in insult to all of us. Reject the invitation. As a political platform this is going to be no use to us. On the other hand the Indian electorate will take you to be a 'Modi reject'.
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