Said no to Trump invite as I had to visit land of Lord Jagannath: Modi

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Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
on Friday finally explained the reason for declining US President
Donald Trump
's recent invite for a stopover in Washington on his way back from Canada. Addressing a gathering in Bhubaneswar on Friday, PM Modi said he had to say no to Trump's invite as he did not want to miss his scheduled visit to the "land of Lord Jagannath".
Speaking at an event to mark one year of Mohan Charan Majhi-led BJP govt in Odisha, Modi said, "The President of the United States called me, saying, 'Since you are in Canada, please come over. We will have a meal together and talk.' He extended a warm invitation. I thanked him for the invitation and politely declined, expressing that visiting the land of Mahaprabhu was essential for me. The devotion for Mahaprabhu and your love drew me here.
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The explanation puts to rest speculations that had built up ever since foreign secretary Vikram Misri put on record that PM Modi had to skip the Trump meeting due to "prior commitments".
While Majhi's first anniversary as CM was on June 12, the Odisha govt timed the main celebration on Friday to accommodate the PM's schedule. Any change in plan could have put the govt in an awkward position in a state where the BJP swept the Lok Sabha polls, winning 20 of the 21 seats, and stormed to power by winning 78 of the 147 assembly seats.
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In what was Modi's sixth visit to the state in the past one year, the PM praised Odisha's progress under the BJP govt, emphasizing the state's role in India's cultural and economic development. He highlighted various initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure, healthcare, and economic opportunities for the people of Odisha, particularly tribal communities.
The PM also highlighted the significant role of eastern India in the country's growth trajectory and underscored the region's potential as a catalyst for India's progress in the 21st century. "The development of 21st century India will gain momentum from eastern India. This is the era of Purvodaya," the PM said.

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