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No G-20 poster showing Modi more popular than Biden: ‘Cong doing petty politics’
An old hoarding congratulating PM Modi on becoming the most popular world leader surfaced on social media with a claim that BJP put up the poster ahead of G20.
Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera on Thursday questioned a purported hoarding showing PM Modi ahead of world leaders in popularity and asked whether this is how BJP shows 'Atithi Devo Bhava'. The BJP was quick to point out that it was fake news and there was no such hoarding put up anywhere ahead of G20 summit. "This is fake news. No such hoarding has been put. Congress should desist from such petty politics at a time when India is hosting the world," BJP leader Vijay Goel tweeted as the purported hoarding had Vijay Goel's name.
The hoarding showing PM Modi ahead of the country heads of the United States, Brazil, Italy, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico is an old one. Both Pawan Khera and Shashi Tharoor later removed their tweets.
India as the president of G20 will hold the G20 summit in New Delhi in which many state heads are expected to come. The capital has been decked up for the arrival of the delegates and security has been tightened around Delhi. Union ministers have been allotted the duty of receiving the country heads as they start arriving on Friday.
US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are among the leaders to attend the G-20 meeting.
The Congress questioned the absence of the heads of state of Russia and China and said it is the responsibility of the external affairs ministry to ensure that all heads of states attend such a large-scale event. "Very good events being organised on a large scale but the absence of two very important countries, heads of states, gives rise to a lot of questions and the hope that the Minister of External Affairs will respond to these questions," Pawan Khera said. "We want to advise him (Jaishankar), that when the PM organises such big events with such large expenditure, the minister has a responsibility to ensure that all heads of state participate in it and benefit for India comes out of the rotational presidentship," the Congress leader said.
The Chinese foreign ministry announced that President Xi Jinping will not attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi and the delegation will be led by Premier Li Qiang. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier conveyed that he won't attend the G20 Summit in person as he has to focus on the "special military operation" in Ukraine.
