Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Friday, shared that he had declined an invitation from US President Donald Trump to visit the United States. The reason, he said, was that he wanted to visit the “Land of Lord Jagannath” instead.
“I humbly turned down President Trump’s invitation to visit the US because I wanted to come here, to the sacred land of Lord Jagannath,” PM Modi told the crowd.
The rally marked the one-year celebration of the BJP-led government in Odisha. PM Modi praised the state’s progress under BJP’s leadership, highlighting that the long-standing public demand to reopen the four gates of the Puri Jagannath Temple and the temple’s treasury, known as the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, had finally been fulfilled. He added that this was proof of the government’s commitment to good governance and better public services.
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Modi also criticized previous Congress governments, claiming they had failed to provide effective governance to the country.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri shared details of a recent phone call between PM Modi and Trump. The call took place when Modi was in Canada for the G7 Summit. During the 35-minute call, Trump had asked if Modi could stop by the US on his way back. Modi declined, citing prior commitments, but both leaders agreed to meet sometime soon.
Interestingly, Trump later claimed that he had played a role in stopping a conflict between India and Pakistan, using trade negotiations to reduce tensions. He said, “I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a great man.”
Read more: Modi Is ‘Fantastic Man, I Love Pakistan”: Trump Renews Ceasefire Remarks
Trump also mentioned that he had spoken with both Modi and Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, saying they were both powerful figures in bringing peace. He added that since both India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed nations, it was important to de-escalate the situation — and he credited himself for making it happen.
