Howdy America! Walking In The Mahatma's Shadow

A Gandhi conference, the General Assembly, a climate summit, an investors’ meet and a gushing NRI welcome— Modi has a lot to do in the US than just counter Pakistan

- Pranay Sharma

At a time when a hyper-ventilating Imran Khan is regularly issuing painfully imploring threats of a Indo-Pak nuclear war over Kashmir, Narendra Modi has decided to use the Gandhi shield to deflect the Pakistani verbal nukes by highlighting the teachings of the Mahatma and their relevance in facing the challenges confronting today’s world.

The ideal platform: a cross-regional event at the United Nations on September 24, titled ‘Leadership Matters’, where leaders from different parts of the world would speak on the uses of Gandhian idealism in today’s world. A star line-up of speakers include prime ministers Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Andrew Holness of Jamaica, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and UN Secretary-General Antonia Guterres, who will all talk on how Gandhiji’s ideals have helped them deal with key crises in their lives. PM Modi will also speak.

World leaders will be congregating at New York from this weekend for the United Nations General Assembly, which begins from September 24, including PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart, Imran Khan.

However, one of the highlights of Modi’s visit to the US will be seen beyond the UN General Assembly, at the “Howdy Modi” event being organised in Houston, Texas, by the Indian-American community. US President Donald Trump has also decided to be present at the event, making the already over-booked, immensely-hyped gathering a much more sought-after programme. The two leaders are also likely to have a bilateral meeting where a trade pact between India and the US could be agreed upon.