Foreign investors were threatened ‘don’t go to…’: PM Modi at Vibrant Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday recalled the journey of the 20 years of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit and said the central government at that time did not extend any cooperation.

Instead, the central ministers refused to attend the event and foreign investors were threatened to not invest in Gujarat. “But still, investors came and there was no incentive for them. They came only because of good governance, fair governance, equal distribution of growth and transparent government,” PM Modi said accusing the erstwhile central government of seeing Gujarat’s progress through prisms of politics. “The central ministers used to tell me that he would definitely come. Pata nahi peeche se danda chalta tha, vo mana kar dete the. They never cooperated, they used to create roadblocks,” PM Modi said.

“I remember in 2009 everyone asked me to not hold Vibrant Gujarat because there was a global slowdown. But I refused. At the worst, the summit would not be successful. There should not be any disruption in the practice,” PM Modi said. Vibrant Gujarat was never limited to Gujarat, but all states were invited, PM Modi said adding that Gujarat was being developed with a national vision. “Gujarat was always known as a traders’ state. But in the 21st century, Gujarat became an agricultural, financial, industrial and manufacturing hub when the state also strengthened its trade,” PM Modi said.