Narendra Modi has strived to interact with Indians abroad since before his days as the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janta Party. The Prime Minister we see today, is a man who unrelentingly stuck on his views and his beliefs, taking one step closer to his goal. He has actively engaged and fostered the Indian diaspora in the UK, meeting with them every chance he gets.
During a five day visit to Britain in 1999, he made time to attend the Overseas Friends of BJP dinner at the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, arranged to celebrate the BJP's election victory. Delivering 20 out of 26 seats in the then polls, there were no doubts that this man would soon rise to lead the Gujarat state. An RSS pracharak, Modi had already expanded the BJP party network from 1000 to 16,000 village units from 1985-95.
His second visit came soon after in 2000, a prompt stopover on his way to the Caribbean where he was to speak in the World Hindu Conference, Modi was also invited as a guest to the United Nations Peace Summit. In his brief albeit illuminating stay, he met with several members from the Overseas Friends of BJP and held tele-conferences with CB Patel of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice. He apprised them with the political situation of Gujarat and spoke about the efforts made by the central government to counter terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Modi spoke of the illness that is, terrorism. “Terrorism is an evil against humanity. Wherever it may be, in India, the Middle East, or in Northern Ireland,” he said.
One of the fondest memories of Modi, the community holds is from 2003, when he was leading Gujarat as the Chief Minister and had embarked on a four day visit to the UK. Gujarat had just suffered a disastrous blow in 2001 with an earthquake of a 7.7 magnitude scale shaking the entire region, for which NRGs had effectively provided a generous aid. “You are all the real friends of Gujarat and I have come to reciprocate the loyalty. We have slept in the street of death and today I have come to repay a debt of friendship to those who helped is in our hour of need,” his voice boomed across London's Wembley Conference Centre amongst cheers of adoring fans. NaMo's oratory skills are well known and appreciated across the globe. As Asian Voice looks back to 2003, we find his vision as clear as water. Even then he had stressed on the wonders of IT combined with India. “IT is not Information Technology,” he had said. “IT is India Today. BT is not Biotechnology. It is Bharat Today. IT and IT equals IT. That means Information Technology and Indian Talent is India Tomorrow.” The then chief minister, Modi besides, inaugurated the Shakti Hall at the Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice office in London, in a grand ceremony on 20 August.
The leader has always sought unconventional methods to interact with his people abroad. London witnessed two magnificent gatherings in 2011, celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the formation of Gujarat as a state. A video conference was arranged between UK and Gujarat at the Music Room in Killik & Co near Grosvenor Square. Organised by the 'Friends of Gujarat' along with Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice, Modi spoke to a distinguished audience of 90 people, including British MPs and Peers. “The name Gujarat and development are synonymous. Gujarat is creating history. Normally when we celebrate such events, we honour people, talk good things. But in this Golden Jubilee celebration we have decided to build a Mahatma Mandir. We have collected earth from 18000 villages in Gujarat to make this monument. We have also collected earth from abroad, especially UK,” he said. “We aim to serve the common man. My special thanks to CB, who always innovates new programmes to serve people.”
