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'Population of 15,000': Bhagwant Mann mocks PM Narendra Modi's foreign honours, MEA reacts
Bhagwant Mann also criticised PM Narendra Modi by alleging that he finds time to tour abroad but "fails" to address the concerns of 140 crore Indians.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic visits and foreign honours, saying more people watch a JCB machine than the population of countries from which he gets the highest honours.
Mann also criticised PM Modi by alleging that he finds time to tour abroad but "fails" to address the concerns of 140 crore Indians. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Thursday termed his comments ‘irresponsible’.
"Do not know which countries he goes to. Now he has gone to, I don't know, Magneshia. (But) He is not staying in the country where 140 crore people live. The countries which he is visiting have a population of 15,000. And he got the biggest awards there. Over here, 15,000 people gather to watch the JCB machine (earth-moving machine)," he said as he referred to the large crowd that a JCB machine attracts when it is in operation, PTI reported.
The Punjab CM also attacked the Prime Minister for not holding a press conference in the 11 years he has been in office.
"He has not held a single press conference in 11 years," he further said while taking pot shots at PM Modi.
The MEA says Bhagwant Man's comments undermined India’s ties with friendly countries
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday released a statement disapproving of Punjab CM Bhagwat Mann's criticism of PM Narendra Modi's diplomatic visits to foreign nations. Without naming him, the ministry said that the Government of India "dissociates" itself from the "unwarranted" comments made by a "high state authority" that undermined India's ties with friendly countries.
PM Modi returned to India on Thursday after a week-long five-nation tour of Brazil, Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina and Namibia. He was awarded Trinidad and Tobago’s highest civilian award and attended the BRICS summit in Brazil, apart from bilateral meetings in other countries.
