BJP defends ‘lotus’ in India’s G20 presidency logo after Congress criticism
BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla Wednesday defended the Centre’s choice of the logo for the G20 presidency – Earth juxtaposed with a lotus – reminding the Congress that the lotus is India’s national flower.
Poonawalla hit out at criticism by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who alleged the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi “won’t lose any opportunity to promote themselves”. He also pointed out that Goddess Lakshmi is also seated on a lotus flower. “Will you remove Kamal from name of Kamal Nath? Rajiv (Gandhi) also means Kamal. Hope you see no agenda there,” Poonawalla said.
Lotus happens to be our National Flower! It also happens to be the aasan of Maa Lakshmi – Are you opposed to our national flower? Will you remove Kamal from name of Kamal Nath?
Btw Rajiv also means Kamal ! Hope you see no agenda there !!! pic.twitter.com/Y62kiHkjxR
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) November 9, 2022
Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, said India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had rejected the proposal to make the party’s official flag as the national flag, but “BJP won’t lose any opportunity to promote themselves shamelessly.”
Over 70 years ago, Nehru rejected the proposal to make Congress flag the flag of India. Now,BJP’s election symbol has become official logo for India’s presidency of G20! While shocking,we know by now that Mr.Modi & BJP won’t lose any opportunity to promote themselves shamelessly!
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 9, 2022
PM Modi on Tuesday unveiled the logo and theme — “Vasudhaiva Kutumba-kam” or “One Earth One Family One Future”, and website of India’s G20 presidency.
Explaining the logo, he said: “India’s G20 presidency is coming at a time of crisis and chaos in the world… The world is going through the after-effects of a disruptive once-in-a-century pandemic, conflicts and a lot of economic uncertainty… The symbol of the lotus in the G20 logo is a representation of hope in this time. No matter how adverse the circumstances, the lotus still blooms. Even if the world is in a deep crisis, we can still progress and make the world a better place.”
India will assume the G20 presidency from the current chair Indonesia on December 1, and hold the post for a year.
