8th September 2023, Mumbai: In a recent incident, an old poster congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on being recognized as the most popular world leader resurfaced on social media. The claim suggested that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had put up the poster ahead of the G20 summit. However, Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera raised questions about the authenticity of the poster and criticized the BJP’s approach to hospitality, questioning whether this is how they embody the principle of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (the guest is God).
BJP swiftly clarified that the news was fake
In response, the BJP swiftly clarified that the news was fake and that no such hoarding had been erected ahead of the G20 summit. Vijay Goel, a BJP leader, emphasized that spreading false information is not in line with India’s role as the host of the global event and urged Congress to refrain from indulging in such petty politics.
Prime Minister Modi as the most popular world leader
The said hoarding displayed Prime Minister Modi as the most popular world leader, surpassing the heads of countries like the United States, Brazil, Italy, Australia, Switzerland, and Mexico. It’s worth noting that this poster is not recent, but rather an old one. Subsequently, both Pawan Khera and Shashi Tharoor deleted their tweets regarding the matter.
G20 summit in New Delhi
India, as the president of the G20, is set to host the G20 summit in New Delhi, which will see the participation of numerous heads of state. The capital city has been prepared to receive the delegates, and security measures have been enhanced. Union ministers have been assigned the responsibility of welcoming the country heads as they arrive for the summit. Prominent leaders attending the G20 meeting include US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The Congress party raised Questions
The Congress party raised concerns about the absence of the heads of state from Russia and China and called on the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the participation of all leaders in such a significant event. Pawan Khera emphasized that it is the responsibility of the External Affairs Minister to guarantee the attendance of all heads of state and to ensure that India benefits from its rotational presidency of the G20.
President Xi Jinping would not attend the G20 Summit
The Chinese foreign ministry had announced that President Xi Jinping would not attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi, with the delegation being led by Premier Li Qiang. Russian President Vladimir Putin had also conveyed that he would not attend the G20 Summit in person due to his focus on the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
By Yashika Desai