External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today apologised for saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed lakhs of “Indians” in Nepal’s Janakpur recently. She tweeted an apology after Twitter users, including a parliamentarian from Nepal, pointed out that PM Modi addressed Nepali people in Janakpur earlier this month and not Indians. “This was a mistake on my part. I sincerely apologise for this,” Ms Swaraj tweeted tonight along with a video of her comments about PM Modi’s efforts to reach out to the Indian diaspora abroad, including in Nepal.
This was a mistake on my part. I sincerely apologise for this. pic.twitter.com/S1CpLv8uu0
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 28, 2018
The event in Janakpur during PM Modi’s visit to the Himalayan nation earlier this month was organised by the Nepal government and not NRIs as the minister claimed in her remark.
On the fourth anniversary of Modi government on May 26, MEA Minister Sushma Swaraj said that PM Modi was taking great efforts in reaching out to Indians staying abroad as well as in Nepal.
“Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister of the country who has from America’s Madison Square to Nepal’s Janakpur addressed lakhs of Indian…” she said during MEA’s annual press conference where she was highlighting NDA government’s achievement on its fourth anniversary.
The mistake raised several eyebrows in Nepal. Nepali Congress leader and Member of Parliament Gagan Thapa asked if it was “a casual undermining of Nepal’s sovereignty”
“Regrettable that India’s External Affairs Minister @SushmaSwaraj described Janakpur’s population that @narendramodi greeted as Indians. One wonders what the confusion was, or if this was the casual undermining of Nepal’s sovereignty,” he tweeted.
Regrettable that India’s External Affairs Minister @SushmaSwaraj described Janakpur’s population that @narendramodi greeted as Indians.
One wonders what the confusion was,or if this was casual undermining of Nepal’s sovereignty.
Either way, @IndiaInNepal,it is unacceptable.
— Gagan Thapa (@thapagk) May 28, 2018
PM Modi started his Nepal visit, earlier this month, by visiting the historical city of Janakpur, the birthplace of Sita. In the city, the PM was accorded a civic reception by the Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City at Barhabigha ground.
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