‘Irresponsible And Regrettable’: MEA Slams Punjab CM Mann’s Comments On PM Modi's Foreign Trip

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann—without naming him—for his statement implying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits to some of the foreign countries are inconsequential, calling his remarks inappropriate for a person holding such a high post, NDTV reported.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday (10 July), Mann mockingly said in Hindi, “The Prime Minister has gone somewhere. I think it is Ghana. Oh, he will be back today? We will welcome him. God knows which countries he has been visiting: ‘Magnesia’, ‘Galvesia’, ‘Tarvesia’. He is not staying in a country which has 140 crore people.”

He further mocked the honours conferred on the Prime Minister abroad, saying, “He is visiting countries which have a population of 10,000 and he is getting the biggest awards there. In India, 10,000 people gather to watch a JCB working. What has he gotten himself into?”

Prime Minister Modi concluded a five-nation tour between 2 and 9 July, visiting Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia, with the aim of deepening ties with the Global South. He also participated in the BRICS summit in Brazil.

During the tour, PM Modi received several top honours: the ‘Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, ‘Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’, ‘Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross’ in Brazil, and the ‘Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis’ in Namibia.

Argentina also conferred him the Key to the City of Buenos Aires.

Issuing a statement on Thursday evening, the MEA, without naming anyone, slammed the comments made by a "high state authority", saying they were irresponsible and undermined India's relationships with friendly countries.

"We have seen some comments made by a high state authority about India's relations with friendly countries from the Global South. These remarks are irresponsible and regrettable and do not behove the state authority," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

"The Government of India dissociates itself from such unwarranted comments that undermine India's ties with friendly countries," he added.

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