Hold G20 as national, not BJP, event: opposition

Leaders of about 15 opposition parties, including some chief ministers, extended their support to the government on Monday to India hosting the G20 under her presidency but stressed that the event be treated as a collective national affair and not be projected as the ruling party’s event.

Many of them pointed out the rotational arrangement ensures all member nations get to hold the G20 presidency.

They also told Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an all-party meeting that the gathering should also be taken as an opportunity to showcase India’s democratic and pluralist society.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the G20 was conceptualised and formed when the Congress was in power. He also said India has hosted many global summits in the past with a collective national spirit, and hoped that the G20 event would be hosted in the same national tradition.
Stalin underscored the national spirit behind India heading G20 and stressed that the event can showcase the country’s inclusive and federal principles.

Ahead of the meeting, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said the Centre could have used any national symbol other than the lotus (the BJP symbol) for the G20 logo.