Guyana pledged its support to India in its bid to become a permanent member of the powerful United Nations Security Council.
Announcing this at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), in India where he is on an official visit President Donald Ramotar said India has greater responsibility to support other developing countries and asked New Delhi to play a proactive role in fighting global challenges like climate change.”India has greater responsibility to support other developing countries. India should play a major role in confronting global challenges like climate change. I want to assure you that my country will support India in securing a permanent seat in UN Security Council,” he said, addressing the mega meet of Indian diaspora at Mahatma Mandir.
He shared the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Patel, Governor O P Kohli, Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj and Ravi Shankar Prasad, among others. Paying glowing tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, Ramotar described him “as the greatest man” of his time and recalled his deep influence on the Guyanese people. He said 2015 is a historic year as it marks the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa, where he fought for basic rights of his countrymen settled there, and later served as an inspiration in the struggle against apartheid. Ramotar highlighted the long-standing bilateral ties and lauded the contribution of Indian diaspora in the South American country. “Indian diaspora is the second largest in the world and it includes political leaders, Prime Ministers, Presidents and CEOs of Fortune-500 companies,” he said.
Elusive
While India was among the founding members of United Nations, the permanent membership in UNSC always remained elusive. In fact, India’s endeavour for permanent membership in UNSC began in 1955 when the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reportedly turned down the coveted status offered to India which was then grabbed by China. Commentators say that the reasons are aplenty as to why India is deserving of a seat on the UN Permanent Council. Firstly, with a population of a tad more than 1.2 billion, India will soon overtake China as the most populous country of the world. So no one can deny its ubiquitous physical presence in the world stage and the resultant need for adequate representation in a strategic forum like UNSC, one commentator wrote. Secondly, India is the largest democracy in the world. Excluding the 21-month interlude of ‘emergency’ during 1975-77 under Indira Gandhi, it religiously adhered to the norms of democracy since gaining independence from the British In 1947. Third, it is the 10th largest economy in the world and its army is the third-largest globally. Fourth, India has been a member of the UNSC for six terms totaling 12 years besides being a member of G-77 and G-4; therefore, a permanent membership in UNSC seems a logical extension. Fifth, it is the third-largest contributor of troops (close to 160,000 soldiers) to more than 40 UN peacekeeping efforts including those in Korea, Egypt, the Congo, Somalia, Angola, Haiti, Liberia, Lebanon, Rwanda and South Sudan and more than 150 Indian soldiers lost their lives while serving in UN missions.
Clean Ganga campaign
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi in his address attempted to broaden the Clean Ganga campaign by getting the Indian diaspora involved. Speaking at the event Modi said the economic development of 40 per cent of the country’s population “is connected with Maa Ganga”. Modi also described himself as a “Pravasi Gujarati (non-resident Gujarati)” welcoming the “Pravasi Bharati”. He said that earlier, Indian immigrants went abroad looking for opportunities, but today, that situation had changed drastically. “In the global context today, India had huge strength and capital,” he said. Giving an example of how “the world was waiting to embrace India”, Modi said that when he made a passing suggestion in his speech at the United Nations that there should be an international yoga day, it was co-sponsored by 177 of 193 member countries of the UN.
“Of these, 40 were Muslim countries and it was the fastest executed decision in less than 100 days,” said Modi. “Like environment, cleanliness and spirituality, it is also a subject of economic development for me,” said Modi, adding, “Economic development of states like UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal can be done through development and cleaning of Maa Ganga.
In fact, economic development of 40 per cent of India’s population is connected with Maa Ganga,” he said. Modi said that Mauritius had built an artificial lake, Gangasagar, named after the river, by transporting some of its water there. Modi also said that a “Namami Gange” fund had been launched, for which people from across the world could contribute. About 4,000 NRIs from 58 countries are attending the three-day event.
Announcing the various decisions his government had taken to ease travel for the Indian diaspora, Modi obliquely referred to the US having denying him a visa for nearly a decade. “Aap jaante hain aapko kya kya takleef jhelni padti hai?… Main jaanta hoon (Do you know what problems you have to face to get a visa? I know.” Started in 2003 by the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was celebrated regularly “except a period in between when…”. He then trailed off, with a gesture to indicate that it had gone slow, amid laughter from the audience. Elaborating on this period, referring to the UPA regime, Modi said, “You all also did not feel like coming… some came because they had to.”
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