'Open US consulate in Chandigarh', Punjab Gov writes to EAM
Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 Jun, 2023 01:12 PM
Chandigarh, June 16 (IANS) Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit has written to the External Affairs Ministry (EAM) urging it to open a US Consulate in Chandigarh.
The Governor said the Punjabis are adventurous who travel all over the world. They also form a sizeable segment of the Indian diaspora in the US.
"The specialty of this segment is that its members are conscious of their roots and are in constant touch with their people back home in India. This makes a good case for a US consulate in Chandigarh, which is the nerve centre of Punjabi culture," Purohit wrote.
The Governor, who is also the Administrator of Chandigarh, referred to the demand for an additional consulate in India, which is being pressed for even in the US by influential Congressmen, which further bolsters the demand.
The letter mentions that India has five consulates in the US, while the US has only four in India.
The Governor said if a US Consulate is opened in Chandigarh, it will serve the purposes to tap the social, economic and cultural dimensions of the state, as he requested the External Affairs Ministry to pursue the matter with appropriate US authorities.
Referring to alleged reports of snooping of prominent citizens using Israeli Pegasus spyware, senior BJP leader and union minister Meenakshi Lekhi on Thursday said that these kinds of stories are concocted, fabricated and have no evidence.
On Wednesday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal gave permission to the Jantar Mantar demonstration on the condition that a maximum of 200 protesters will be allowed till August 9 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Sidhu sent an invite, signed by some 62 legislators, through working presidents, Kuljit Singh Nagra and Sangat Singh Gilzian, to the 'sulking' Chief Minister to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
In a statement here, Badal said it was condemnable that the NDA government had targeted Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar and the Bharat Samachar group because they had posed tough questions to the government in keeping with high standards of journalism.
In a written reply to parliamentarian Binoy Viswam in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (External Affairs) V.A. Muraleedharan said during the unprecedented crisis, the international community came forward with offers of solidarity and assistance for specific medicines and equipment that were not immediately available in the country.
