01-09-2008, 02:16 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Modi steals the show </b>
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hogged the limelight at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. He batted for Indian cricketers and called for protecting the country's self-esteem and asked the nation to stand by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) or the People of Indian Origin (PIO) in their hours of trial and tribulations.Â
<b>"The country's self-respect must be protected. It is not just the question of one cricketer but of the whole country," Modi said, slamming the ban on off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for three Tests for his alleged racial remarks against Andrew Symonds</b>.
But more than this, Modi also stole the limelight from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by making a much more powerful plea for India's intervention in helping the NRIs in cases of harassment.
Earlier, the Prime Minister in his address at the meeting urged the NRIs to maintain better contacts with the Indian Embassies through regular interactions and vice versa to deal with any situation. The Prime Minister's remark came in the context of attacks on PIOs and NRIs in Malaysia and Kenya.
"The security and welfare of Indian residents living abroad is a top priority of our diplomatic missions. I urge community leaders to develop better liaison and coordination with our missions to better serve our non-resident communities. It is through such engagements that the Embassies will become more responsive to the needs of overseas Indians," said Singh in his address.
Soon after this, Modi said, <b>"Our Embassies are doing very well. When NRIs are in distress, the country should express solidarity with them," </b>Modi said.
<b>Mediapersons mobbed Modi after the Prime Minister concluded his address. Sporting a black suit and looking like an MNC executive, Modi was the centre of attraction. When he moved to the Exhibition Pavilion, the crowd comprising mediapersons and NRI delegates followed him.
After he inaugurated the Gujarat Pavilion, others requested him to have a look at their exhibits as well. And Modi did not disappoint them. He took a round of the pavilion.</b>
"Gujarat has done a lot of work in social and infrastructure sectors. Besides Gujarat's image as an industrial State, the Government has implemented social welfare schemes targeting poor," Modi said.
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Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hogged the limelight at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. He batted for Indian cricketers and called for protecting the country's self-esteem and asked the nation to stand by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) or the People of Indian Origin (PIO) in their hours of trial and tribulations.Â
<b>"The country's self-respect must be protected. It is not just the question of one cricketer but of the whole country," Modi said, slamming the ban on off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for three Tests for his alleged racial remarks against Andrew Symonds</b>.
But more than this, Modi also stole the limelight from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by making a much more powerful plea for India's intervention in helping the NRIs in cases of harassment.
Earlier, the Prime Minister in his address at the meeting urged the NRIs to maintain better contacts with the Indian Embassies through regular interactions and vice versa to deal with any situation. The Prime Minister's remark came in the context of attacks on PIOs and NRIs in Malaysia and Kenya.
"The security and welfare of Indian residents living abroad is a top priority of our diplomatic missions. I urge community leaders to develop better liaison and coordination with our missions to better serve our non-resident communities. It is through such engagements that the Embassies will become more responsive to the needs of overseas Indians," said Singh in his address.
Soon after this, Modi said, <b>"Our Embassies are doing very well. When NRIs are in distress, the country should express solidarity with them," </b>Modi said.
<b>Mediapersons mobbed Modi after the Prime Minister concluded his address. Sporting a black suit and looking like an MNC executive, Modi was the centre of attraction. When he moved to the Exhibition Pavilion, the crowd comprising mediapersons and NRI delegates followed him.
After he inaugurated the Gujarat Pavilion, others requested him to have a look at their exhibits as well. And Modi did not disappoint them. He took a round of the pavilion.</b>
"Gujarat has done a lot of work in social and infrastructure sectors. Besides Gujarat's image as an industrial State, the Government has implemented social welfare schemes targeting poor," Modi said.
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