New Delhi: Prime Minister Modi does not want to play up the Covid-19 infections as it will sabotage his favourite 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan to be held in Indore for a week from January 8 to 14.
Though he would like to use Covid-19 to force restrictions on the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gadhi that enters Delhi on Saturday, but he does not want the same restrictions to curb the Indian NRIs coming for the Indore conference.
Modi's plans include release of a postal stamp on the second day of the conference on January 9. He has told the BJP leaders that the Covid-19 scare is enough to discourage the people joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra, but it should not be prolonged making the overseas Indians cancel their visit to Indore.
Many big hotels in Indore have offered big concession in their fares as approved by the external affairs ministy and they are worried if the NRIs are subjected to the Covid-19 check as it will discourage them to cancel the booking. In fact, the hotels have been booked also in the nearby towns like Ujjain, Dewas, Mhow and Mandu to accommodate the visiting tourists.
Immediately after the conference, the Madhya Pradesh government is organising the investors' summit to invite the NRIs and the Overseas Indian community to pump money in the state. Only recently Prime Minister Modi had invited the Indians living in Indonesia to come in a large number in the conference.
Three important events in the conference are: Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Day on January 8 when the Union Sports and Youth Welfare will be the chief guest, followed by Bharatiya Diwas convengtion on January 9 when the Prime Minister will have a lunch with the visitors and President Droupadi Murmu will join the guests on January 10 in a dinner.
The Prime Minister is keen that the Covid-19 scare should not be intensifed for long that sabotages the conference of the overseas Indians. January 9 is observed to mark the contribution of the overseas Indians in the development of India. It was on this day in 1915 taht Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest pravasi, had returned to India from South Africa.
