You Are Welcome To Be Stuck In 1983, The Country Has Moved On: Jaishankar Responds To Opposition's Criticism Of Scale Of G20 Events

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed to ensure that the entire nation felt a sense of participation and ownership in the G20 summit.

He said that the Prime Minister believes that the G20 should be considered a national endeavour, transcending partisan politics.

The minister noted that G20 events have been held in states not governed by the BJP, highlighting the nonpartisan approach.

The objective is to democratise the G20, allowing various cities, states, professions, and generations to feel involved and have a sense of ownership.

During an interview with ANI, Jaishankar responded to the Opposition's criticism regarding the scale of G20 event, saying that in the past, governments chose to limit their sphere of influence.

However, the current government has a different mindset and aims to break free from the confines of Lutyens' Delhi or Vigyan Bhavan.

"If someone felt comfortable within the confines of Lutyens' Delhi or Vigyan Bhavan, that was their choice, their world. We've now entered a different era with a different government and thought process," Jaishankar said.

"For those who feel that we should be stuck in 1983, you are welcome to be stuck in 1983. I am sorry the country has moved on, we are in 2023," Jaishankar asserted, reports Times of India.

“So, and in that sense, the whole idea is to democratise the G20 to make it much more participatory, to give different cities, different states, different professions and generations, a sense of participation and ownership,” the minister told ANI.

Jaishankar attributed this shift in perspective to a change in mindset within the government.

He described it as a more democratic outlook that promotes decentralisation and inclusivity, moving away from the idea of a small group controlling everything in one city.

Regarding the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in India, Jaishankar stated that it is not an unusual occurrence.

"I think at different points of time in G20 there have been some presidents or prime ministers who for whatever reason, have chosen not to come themselves but that country, and that country's position is obviously reflected by whoever is the representative on that occasion," he said.