The government’s plans to hold the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference for overseas Indians in Gujarat, along with the Gujarat government’s big investor summit, Vibrant Gujarat, is running into criticism about the Central government’s focus on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home State.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will announce the government’s arrangements for two conferences on Monday, along with Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.
The conferences will be held back-to-back in the twin cities of Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad respectively, with Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9, and Vibrant Gujarat on January 11, allowing delegates to attend both.
Accusing the Centre of showing a preference for Gujarat, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien compared the focus on Vibrant Gujarat to the “lack of any interest” in a State like West Bengal, which is also holding its global business summit, called Bengal Leads 2015, from January 6 to 8.
“The PM was in ‘CM mode’ even when he visited New York and Washington,” Mr. O’Brien alleged, “Most handshakes with corporate honchos were accompanied with the diktat: You must come in early January to Gujarat. Who would not comply with such a request,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi, who will attend both functions, has also reportedly requested world leaders to come to the Vibrant Gujarat summit. Sources in New Delhi and Washington confirmed to The Hindu that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will be visiting Gujarat at the PM’s personal invitation. Mr. Kerry, who will be accompanied by a 90-member delegation will be there along with other luminaries at Gujarat global CEO conclave, including U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Butte.
Organisers say they hope to have about 75 global CEOs, 10 world reknowned economists and Nobel Laureates and about 100 Indian CEOs, and efforts are on to rope in former US President Bill Clinton. “This is the biggest Vibrant Gujarat so far,” confirmed an official, “All arrangements for the CEO conclave are being routed through the PMO for clearance.”
Earlier, the PM had come under criticism for inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping to Ahmedabad first, over other cities, even as China agreed to build one of two industrial cities near Baroda . “During his visits to Japan as well, the biggest investment deals, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train were seen to favour Gujarat and Gujarati businesses,” said Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma,
“Why doesn’t the PM look at a Vibrant India outside Gujarat as well?” he asked.
The Gujarat government’s request to hold the PBD conference dates back to 2013, when PM Modi was Chief Minister, but wasn’t approved until he himself became Prime Minister, and the PMO cleared the file in June 2014. Mr. Modi had requested the summit in Gujarat as 2015 marks the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa.
