"India's acche din are here...": Global Britain Centre founding chairman slams western media

New Delhi [India], May 19 : Slamming the Western media over the "negative" coverage of elections in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies, Global Britain Centre founding chairman Amandeep Singh Bhogal said that a lot of people have problems as India's good days (achhe din) are here.
In an interview with ANI, Amandeep Singh Bhogal said that Indian democracy is roaring ahead and cited the example of former India's Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu contesting elections in Amritsar. He stated that some people are not able to see a tea seller rise up and become the Prime Minister of a nation with 1.5 billion people.
Asked about few articles published in Western media about elections in India, he said, "Look, I've often thought about this, and I've often discussed it with many people who are interested in this. And I think it's for one very simple reason: because India's achhe din are here. And you know what? A lot of them are jealous of why are these people able to do the things we can only dream of."
"Number two, a lot of these people can't fathom that a simple, humble chaiwala can rise up from nothing and rise through the ranks of the world's greatest, biggest political party and become Prime Minister of a billion and a half people. Look, we had Brexit in the UK; a lot of people didn't like that, and I think the same forces, the same cabal is trying to undermine British democracy and the same people are trying to undermine Indian democracy because you know what, they don't like the result," he added.
Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister slammed the Western media over the "negative" coverage of Indian elections and said that the countries which "have to go to court for deciding election results" are giving "gyan" on conducting polls.
Jaishankar was speaking at an interaction after the launch of the Bangla edition of his book 'Why Bharat Matters' in Kolkata on Tuesday. He said that the Western media want a certain "class of people" to rule the country and feel "disturbed" when the Indian electorate doesn't feel the same way. He also emphasized that the Western media at times "openly endorsed candidates and political parties."
Bhogal stated that India has enduring pluralism, which he could see in every place he travelled to. He recalled seeing PM Modi's nomination rally in Varanasi, which he said was attended by muslim ladies in burqas along with 10,000 BJP supporters. He called "Global Britain and New India" a global force for good together.
Speaking about his observations during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in India, he said, "I am very proud to be British, but I am also very blessed to have been born Indian. I was born in Jalandhar, Punjab, and I have also always seen that India has this enduring pluralism, and that's what we have seen everywhere we have gone. We were with the Prime Minister in Varanasi for his nomination rally, and we have seen people from all faiths--Muslim ladies in burqas--around 10,000 BJP supporters on the day, and you know what, everyone gets along. We were going to Amritsar and there was communist mob at Ambassador Sandhu's BJP rally, and they were given their space."
"They could shout and .... they were, but that's democracy. India is a free democracy that is not just working; it's flourishing. And I've seen that firsthand. My team from the Daily Express from the UK has seen that firsthand. Let's be proud of it. Look, Global Britain and New India are a global force for good together. We have a shared history, a shared culture, shared languages, and a shared heritage. And you know what, we have a shared future, but that's for us to take," he added.
He noted that the average Indian today is more confident about their life, future, and the direction in which India is heading. He stated that India is heading towards a USD 5 trillion economy.
Amandeep Singh Bhogal said, "I'm proud to be British, but I'm equally blessed to have been born Indian. And that's why I'm a British Indian. And you know what? I'm here in the heart of the world's greatest democracy in this dynamo place. And this place is racing ahead. Democracy is roaring ahead, as we saw in Amritsar with Ambassador Sandhu (Taranjit Singh Sandhu) campaigning. But look, my experience has been very simple."
"I was very confident when I came and that confidence has been absolutely brought to the fore that the average Indian today is more confident about their life, about their future, about the direction where this great country is heading, and that is towards a USD 5 trillion economy. You know, this country is levelling up--50 Indians every 60 seconds into prosperity--that's unprecedented," he added.
Notably, Global Britain Centre is a think tank Bhogal set up with Boris Johnson a couple of years ago to drive the conversation of where Global Britain goes next after Brexit.
Lok Sabha elections 2024 are being held in 7 phases from April 19 to June 1. The fourth phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections was conducted on May 7. The remaining three phases of voting will be held on May 20, May 25, and June 1.
The results of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will be announced on June 4. PM Modi is seeking a third consecutive term from the Varanasi constituency and hoping to win with a record margin.