Oppn’s rundown of G-20 success sounds hollow

The G-20 summit is over. It certainly is a huge win for the government. Getting world leaders on one platform and arriving at a consensus on issues such as Ukariane war, on account of which the world was thrown into a turmoil just as India took over the reins of G 20, is no mean achievement. From a troubled milieu to playing Chinese checker in ensuing good attendance despite the opposition parties running a campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi is certainly an act that needs to be admired. India has projected itself to the G-20 countries in a manner which no other country had done before.

But, still the opposition does not seem to have at least one good word for the success of the G 20. The Congress on Monday said that the BJP-led government had spent Rs 4,100 crore for the G20 Summit. Congress said that no number of beautification drives can hide the economic mess the ruling dispensation spread across the country. One should object if there is any embezzlement of funds, not if they are spent in beautification or playing a key role on a global platform. Why can’t the grand old party see the money spent as an investment on brand building – if nothing else?

Didn’t the Congress government hold international summits, though may not be on such a large-scale in the past? Did they hold international conferences without spending money? Why do they pretend to be blind to the fact that spending Rs 4,100 crore, India had become the champion of the Global South? Certainly, huge benefits would accrue from it.

If it was waste of money, why did Delhi’s Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and PWD Minister Atishi on Monday express gratitude to the city’s 2 crore residents and pledged to expand beautification initiatives? They initiated this effort with a comprehensive planning review meeting, where they jointly unveiled the city-wide beautification plans of the Delhi government following the successful hosting of the G20 summit. AAP, for the benefit of the Congress, is part of G-29 whose acronym is I.N.D.I.A.

G-20 members, setting aside any reservations, diligently joined hands to work out consensus on most of the pressing issues on the agenda. Modi’s team which held discussions with different member-countries successfully negotiated the treacherous waters of geopolitical issues. The summit came up with policies about access to technology, resource generation, particularly for the countries which have high debt burden. The deliverables included theme, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’ The opposition is highly allergic to the word ‘One.’

This meeting has set the bar high, but the big question is how the summit decisions will be translated meaningfully on the ground. Will they act as a catalyst of change and create a new world order? Notwithstanding the opposition campaign, Modi did not make any compromise on the border issue to get Xi to attend. He refused to make any compromise on the issue.

India now has a major role to play as a bridge between the developed and the developing nations. BJP alleges that the Congress has been trying to run down the efforts of the government on global platform. Following the success of G-20, the BJP would certainly use it to showcase the achievement as global acceptance of Modi’s leadership in the run-up to the elections.