Punjab: A week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Ghana’s highest civilian honour, ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana,’ Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, ridiculing his frequent international visits and questioning the significance of the accolades received abroad.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader took a jibe at PM Modi, saying, “Had Corona not been there, he would have roamed around the Earth 4-5 times.” In the process, Mann appeared to dismiss Ghana’s importance, expressing unfamiliarity with the country and undermining the relevance of the award.
Bhagwant Mann Questions PM’s Global Recognition
In a sharp-toned criticism aimed at the Prime Minister’s foreign engagements, Mann remarked, “He goes to Ghana and to Luthopi, some 15-16 countries, the names of which are not even known to us.” The Punjab CM questioned the value of such international visits, particularly to countries with smaller populations, and sarcastically added, “He got the highest civilian award there. These countries have a population of some 15,000 , this many people stand on the roadside here just to watch a JCB (excavator) at work.”
Further escalating his criticism, Mann raised doubts about the legitimacy of such honours, stating, “Don’t know how he gets such awards?” He also questioned the overall outcome of these diplomatic visits, asking, “What he got from all this?” Urging the Prime Minister to stay in the country instead, Mann said, “Better he live here with the 140 crore people. Even now, he has gone somewhere.”
PM Modi’s Honour Strengthens India-Ghana Ties
Earlier in July, Prime Minister Modi was bestowed with Ghana’s highest civilian award by Ghanaian President John Mahama, in a ceremony that marked a milestone in the diplomatic relationship between the two nations. The honour recognized Modi’s “distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership,” further adding to his list of prestigious international recognitions received over the years.
The conferral of the award was celebrated by Indian diplomatic circles as a testament to India’s growing global stature and its leader’s proactive foreign policy outreach.