'Bengal means Business' and politics, too: Modi unlikely to attend WB business summit

Modi will be in Gandhinagar, inaugurating another summit, and attending another programme later during the day

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November had extended him an invitation for a state-facilitated two-day business summit that will begin in New Town, Kolkata on Wednesday.

The prime minister, however, as he tweeted (on April 17), will be in Gandhinagar, inaugurating another summit, and attending another programme later during the day.

Promoted as ‘Bengal Global Business Summit' (BGBS) the annual event was first organised in 2015, and had Union ministers, late Arun Jaitley, and Nitin Gadkari, as chief guests and guest of honour respectively.

After holding its 5th edition in 2019, the business congregation this year intends to “showcase the world that ‘Bengal Means Business’ and to explore more business opportunities…”. The business proposed in the earlier five editions of BGBS amounts to Rs 12,35,578 crore, the official website states.

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Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar is the guest of honour for the inaugural plenary session, the official invitation card states.

The Raj Bhavan and the Trinamool-led state government more often than not differ on issues that concern the state’s administration. This business summit is no exception. In August, 2020, and after that as well, Governor Dhankhar called upon the chief minister to come out with a white paper on the summit.

The governor, in August, 2020, had sought information on five editions of the BGBS. The queries included year-wise amount expenditure since 2016 on holding summit, agency/ies through which spending was made, event company/ies. He also asked for details on MoUs signed, investment and jobs promised, and achievements.

Dr Amit Mitra, now a principal chief advisor to the CM and state’s finance department, in November last year, shared (on his Twitter handle) the official response from his end made as a state finance minister in September, 2020. He said it was shocking that a response was being sought after a four-page letter with details had already been offered.

Mitra is also a part of the inaugural plenary session on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, as the state machinery is dedicatedly making an effort at making the business event fruitful, a state BJP delegation is heading around 200 km to Decha Pachami coal block, in Birbhum district, on Wednesday. The state government wants to develop the coal block. Activists have opposed it. Trinamool’s political opponents are expressing solidarity with the families, likely to be affected as the project develops.