Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the government was not using Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) just as a platform to attract investments from people of Indian origin abroad, but wanted deeper ties with them.
Singh’s statement came against the backdrop of eight chief ministers, including that of Gujarat, pitching their states as favourable investment destinations.
In his address, however, Singh too appealed to those attending the event to contribute and “create a self-esteemed, self-reliant and a strong India”. “Government is taking decisions which require infrastructure, heavy investment and policy implementation, and is clearing bottlenecks. We need foreign as well as domestic investment for the same. We cannot achieve the objective without your contribution,” he said, addressing the flagship conclave of the diaspora.
Of the CMs of all the states that marketed themselves aggressively as investment destinations, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav could not it to the seminar in Gujarat due to bad weather. Yadav was to address a special session inviting the NRIs to invest in his state.
The event had its share of controversies. Uttar Pradesh officials had lodged a protest with the Gujarat government over the removal of ‘UP Rising’ posters and hoardings put up on the route from Ahemdabad airport to the event’s venue, describing the move as “illegal”. The ruling party in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party, had dubbed the move as “undemocratic and unjustified”.
SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury had said, “Hoardings highlighting development of the state (UP) are being removed. It seems Gujarat administration is afraid that details of development in UP will expose Gujarat model of development tom-tommed by BJP.”