Bhagwant Mann's Remarks on Countries Modi Visited ‘Irresponsible’, ‘Regrettable’: MEA
The Wire Staff
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New Delhi: After Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to a number of countries over the past week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement saying his “irresponsible” and “regrettable” remarks “undermine India’s ties with friendly countries”.
During a press conference on Thursday (July 10), Mann suggested that Modi had visited a string of obscure countries with low populations instead of spending his time in India.
Characterising these countries as “Magnesia”, “Galvesia” and “Tarvesia”, the chief minister added: “I don't know where he has been going. He is not staying in that country where there are 140 crore people.”
“What is the population of the countries he has been visiting? Ten thousand. And he has received their biggest awards. Here, 10,000 people gather to watch a JCB [bulldozer]” in action, Mann went on to say.
Later on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal issued a statement denouncing Mann's remarks, although without naming him directly.
“We have seen some comments made by a high state authority about India’s relations with friendly countries from the Global South,” Jaiswal said in the statement.
He added: “These remarks are irresponsible and regrettable and do not behove the state authority. Government of India disassociates itself from such unwarranted comments that undermine India’s ties with friendly countries.”
Modi on Thursday returned to India after visiting Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia.
While in Brazil, Modi also represented India at the annual BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.
The prime minister received a number of national honours during his visits to these countries, including the Order of the Star of Ghana, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil's Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross and Namibia's Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis.
While in Argentina he was also given a key to the city of Buenos Aires.
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