BJP today played down Wharton's cancellation of video address by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying he enjoys huge popularity in India and does not need an acceptance certificate from any international body.
"It is Modi's acceptance in India that matters. He needs no certificate from any international forum. He had not filed an application to speak at Wharton. They had invited him. Let them keep it," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters in reply to a question.
Wharton Business School had invited Modi to deliver an address via video conference on March 22-23 but cancelled it yesterday following uproar from a section of university professors and students for inviting him.
The post-Godhra riots of 2002 continue to haunt Modi at the international fora. The US has denied him a visa.
Hussain said Gujarat is progressing under Modi's leadership and the whole world is recognising this now.
"While there is a growing acceptance of Modi around the world, the MMC trio- of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Finance Minister P Chidambaram- is bringing down the GDP of the country," he said.
BJP maintained that a certificate from the people is more important for a leader and Modi has got this through a vote for him in the Assembly elections. Modi was hailed at the just concluded BJP National Council for this third consecutive election victory in Gujarat.
"This should be the criteria and the parameter for (judging) Modi. It does not matter what a lobby based in the US is thinking," Hussain said.
