Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who inaugurated the first two editions of the Centre’s flagship sporting event Khelo India Youth Games, is not likely to do so this year in Guwahati, reports said. There is no confirmation yet on whether this is linked to the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act going on in Assam since last month.
Student organisations protesting against the legislation have vowed that Modi will face opposition when he visits the state. The legislation has been opposed in the North East as protestors see it as impinging upon their ethnic and cultural identities.
Bharatiya Janata Party state spokesperson Rupam Goswami told PTI that the Prime Minister’s Office had not yet given any response to the invitation sent for the inauguration of the annual sports event. The games are scheduled to start on Friday and will go on till January 22.
“There is no talk about the prime minister coming to Guwahati to inaugurate Khelo India,” Goswami said when asked whether Modi had cancelled his visit. “Sending an invitation to the PM is a formality. We have not received any confirmation from the PMO to our invitation.”
Avinash Joshi, the chief executive officer of Khelo India Games, told The Indian Express: “We had invited the prime minister. Till now, no confirmation has come. But informally, we have been informed that he is not coming.”
According to Assamese local news reports, as cited by The Wire, Modi’s office made the decision to not come for the event based on the advice from the state government in the wake of the protests. An unidentified BJP functionary in Assam told the news website that Modi may visit only West Bengal on January 10, as per an earlier schedule, but not Khelo India Youth Games.
The annual event was first held in 2018 in New Delhi which was inaugurated by Modi. In 2019, the inauguration started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message, read by the Sports Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar, emphasising the significance of sports in nation building.
Last month, a summit between Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe scheduled in Guwahati was cancelled after protests against amendments to the Citizenship Act turned violent. India had not yet given any reason for the cancellation through official channels.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!