News18 India, on Monday, hosted its flagship summit. This event aimed to provide a platform for intense discussion, debate, and deliberation on the pressing matter of India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
The event commenced with discussions and concluded with closing remarks delivered by BJP President JP Nadda. It featured a lineup of participants, including Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, and several Union Ministers such as Kiren Rijiju, Smriti Irani, Nitin Gadkari, Ashwini Vaishnav, Dharmendra Pradhan, Anurag Thakur, and Piyush Goyal.
Additionally, the event saw the presence of regional leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. Political figures such as BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Congress leader Digvijay Singh, and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi also contributed to the discussions.
In addition, the event witnessed representation from the Delhi government, with Minister Atishi Marlena making contributions to the discussions. People from the film and cricket industry, including Aamir Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ashutosh Rana, Kiran Rao, Shikhar Dhawan, and Mohammed Shami, also actively participated.
According to the release, the speakers commended News18 India and its organising team for orchestrating the News18 India Chaupal.
Vaishnav, the Railway and Telecom Minister, delivered a full-fledged report through graphic illustration on the advancements within the Railway Ministry. From 2004 to 2014, he highlighted the significant increase in the railway budget from Rs 15 thousand crores to Rs 2.52 lakh crores.
On the other hand, the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Nadda addressed various aspects concerning the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024. He posed a question to Rahul Gandhi regarding his temple visits, questioning the timing of such visits coinciding with election periods. Additionally, Nadda discussed the inclusion of Nitish Kumar and PM Modi's vision for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in his discourse.
The panel discussions, anchored by journalists of News18 India, featuring Digvijay Singh and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, along with the exchange between the Delhi Education Minister from AAP and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhansu Trivedi, talked about the essence of democracy.
Irani, Goyal, Gadkari, and the Information and Broadcasting Minister showcased the developmental efforts of the Modi-led BJP government, expressing confidence in Prime Minister Modi's potential for a third consecutive victory in the Lok Sabha elections. Conversely, Congress President Kharge criticised the BJP-led ruling dispensation and emphasized the party's endeavour to unite all individuals under a common umbrella.
The News18 India Chaupal summit aimed to provide a platform for chief ministers to share their perspectives on their respective states' developmental endeavours and political landscape.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Yadav, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhu, and Punjab CM Mann articulated their states' developmental initiatives.
Cricketers Dhawan and Shami addressed their respective plans and experiences in the cricketing world, with Dhawan expressing his determination to return to the Indian team through the IPL. Shami shared the moments of Team India's defeat in the World Cup in Chaupal. He also shared the moments of meeting PM Modi in the dressing room after the defeat in the World Cup, along with social media trolling.
Actors such as Rana, Khurrana, Khan, along with his former spouse Rao, participated in the conclave, lending their voices to the discourse.