New Delhi: Casting doubt at humongous public gatherings that PM Narendra Modi manages to attract even during his foreign trips, Congress leader and former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid alleged that the prime minister takes people along on his foreign trips to amass crowds and make speeches.
Making light of Modi's speeches, Khurshid said that it was “easy to gather Indian crowd and give speeches”. The PM should, instead give some time to Indians living in Australia also and try to inspire them, the ANI quoted Khurshid as saying.
By this, Khurshid meant that Modi carried Indians along with him to his foreign trips, to ensure an enthusiastic crowd of audience for his speeches to flaunt his popularity.
“If you don't believe me, check flight tickets,” Khurshid told ANI.
Buttressing his claims, Khurshid said that streets of Myanmar's capital generally remain empty, so how come Modi could gather a decent crowd of Indian diaspora even there.
“Have been to Naypyitaw (Myanmar), streets are empty there, he must have taken along many,” Khurshid added.
Modi also made fun of Modi calling G-20 summit as G-all, saying that the PM has “forgotten that G-20 is meeting of 20 most important nations of World”.
Khurshid's jibe at Modi comes as the PM is attending G-20 summit in Brisbane today.
Modi is on a three-nation tour that started with Myanmar where also he addressed Indians. However, the main event that made headlines was Modi's speech in September at New York's Madison square Garden where he received a rockstar welcome by huge crowd of Indians who chanted Namo Namo as he spoke.
Khurshid's remarks come a day before Modi is scheduled to address more than 21,000-strong crowd at another big-ticket venue – this time at Sydney's Allphones Arena.
This too, like Madison Square Garden speech, is expected to be a sell-out crowd when Modi will address thousands on Nov 17 at the end of his four-day trip to Australia.
