Wharton regrets confusion over Modi invite

Activist and founder-leader of Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal is rumoured to have been invited to replace Modi as the keynote speaker at the event

Ending its silence, Wharton School has backed the organising committee of Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF) on cancelling the address of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, but regretted the confusion caused as a result of the change in program.

"The student organisers of the upcoming Wharton India Economic Forum have announced that they have cancelled the proposed keynote address by Narendra Modi," the Wharton School said in a statement yesterday.

"We appreciate the efforts our students have put forth in organising this event and regret any confusion that may have been caused by the change in program," Wharton School said.

Since its inception in 1996, the meet has emerged as one of the largest and most prestigious India-focused business conferences that provides a platform for leaders to discuss the opportunities present in India and the challenges that need to be addressed.

Following "furious" protest from a section of university professors and Indian Americans in the country, WIEF in a statement on Sunday had cancelled its invitation to Narendra Modi for delivering address to its annual event on March 23 via video-conference.

A spokesman of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) in New Delhi yesterday said that WIEF has invited Activist and politician Arvind Kejriwal to replace Narendra Modi as the keynote speaker.

However, a WIEF spokesman, said that no such announcement has been made in this regard so far.

Earlier keynote speakers have included former president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi and industrialist Anil Ambani.