'Any other national symbol other than lotus could have been used for G-20 logo'

MP | 6 Dec 2022 | Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has been accused by the Opposition of flouting rules of the Election Commission for holding a "roadshow-like event" while going to cast his franchise in the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly polls. 

Banerjee was also critical of the logo for India's G-20 Presidency, the meeting which she attended in New Delhi on Monday. 

 She stated that the controversy over the use of lotus in the G-20 logo is "not a non-issue" but she would refrain from raising it as the matter, if discussed outside, may not augur well for the country. 

Banerjee contended that the Central government could have chosen any national symbol other than the lotus for the summit's logo, as the flower also represents a particular political party. 

In response to a poser over the nomination of Election Commissioners from journalists at Kolkata Airport before leaving for New Delhi, Banerjee said: "They are special people. It is the Election Commission's duty. As a political party, we abide by the Election Commission. But what the Supreme Court said, 

I do agree 100 per cent with that. For the Election Commission also, there should be some system for nomination of the Election Commissioners." Banerjee further took a jibe at the neutrality of the Election Commission over the issue. 

"On election day, roadshows are banned. But for them, there may be excuses. This is the basic difference," she remarked. Reacting to predictions of BJP's clean sweep in the Gujarat elections, Banerjee said: "If the Prime Minister goes and has a rally on election day, then what do you expect? 

It could be a hundred on hundred, but is it fair?" Reacting to the ongoing controversy over the use of lotus in the G-20 logo, Banerjee, who attended the meeting being the chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress, said she would refrain from flagging the matter, considering that if discussed outside it may not augur well for the country. 

"I have also seen it (the Lotus logo). As it's a matter related to our country, we are not saying anything," she maintained. "

The national flower is also the symbol of a political party. There are so many other national symbols that could have been used in the logo. The image of the national animal or bird could have been used in the logo instead of the lotus. Even if I don't raise this matter (in Delhi), others may," she said. 

Banerjee also ruled out any one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister when asked about the possibility. "I don't think it's possible this time. This is a G-20 meeting," she said. 

Apart from attending the preparatory meeting on G-20 to be chaired by the Prime Minister, Banerjee will be travelling to Ajmer Sharif and Brahma temple at Pushkar in Rajasthan on Tuesday. She will return to Delhi on Tuesday evening. 

On Wednesday, the TMC supremo will hold a meeting with her party MPs to discuss TMC's strategy ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/any-other-natl-symbol-other-than-lotus-could-have-been-used-for-g-20-logo-501322