Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday connected with a rapturous Indian diaspora in Dublin, promising more prime ministerial visits to Ireland in future. Modi, who is on a day-long visit to Ireland, in his address to a crowded reception by the Indian <g data-gr-id="34">diaspora</g> apologised for not being able to give the Indian-origin people more time.
Taking a dig at previous governments for not having visited Ireland earlier, Modi said “There are many who would remember that <g data-gr-id="33">sometime</g> (in the distant past) an Indian prime minister came to Ireland” evoking laughter from the rapturous crowd. Modi’s visit is the first prime ministerial visit in 59 years.
In a veiled dig at previous Congress-led governments, he said that every year when Indian dignitaries fly to the US, they have to fly via Ireland, implying that earlier the leaders did not bother to visit the country.
“When people have to go from Delhi to New York, they have to fly this way. But your love for me drew me here, and pulled me down from the sky,” he said to loud cries of “Modi, Modi”.
Modi said he spoke at length with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and had a very good meeting and there were many areas of convergence between the two sides. Modi said that in 2016, when Ireland celebrates the centenary of its independence, India would also participate in the celebrations. Modi congratulated the Irish children who recited Sanskrit shlokas in his welcome.
In another veiled dig at the opposition, Modi <g data-gr-id="30">said</g> “I congratulate the children for reciting Sanskrit shlokas. In Ireland, we can do it, but in India if we did this, then so many questions would be raised on secularism issues”, evoking loud laughter.