Washington, Mar 5 (PTI): Ending its silence, Wharton School has backed the organising committee of Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF) on cancelling the address of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, but regretted the confusion caused as a result of the change in program.
"The student organisers of the upcoming Wharton India Economic Forum have announced that they have cancelled the proposed keynote address by Narendra Modi," the Wharton School said in a statement yesterday.
"We appreciate the efforts our students have put forth in organising this event and regret any confusion that may have been caused by the change in program," Wharton School said.
Since its inception in 1996, the meet has emerged as one of the largest and most prestigious India-focused business conferences that provides a platform for leaders to discuss the opportunities present in India and the challenges that need to be addressed.
Following "furious" protest from a section of university professors and Indian Americans in the country, WIEF in a statement on Sunday had cancelled its invitation to Narendra Modi for delivering address to its annual event on March 23 via video-conference.
A spokesman of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) in New Delhi yesterday said that WIEF has invited Activist and politician Arvind Kejriwal to replace Narendra Modi as the keynote speaker.
However, a WIFE spokesman, said that no such announcement has been made in this regard so far.
Earlier keynote speakers have included former president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi and industrialist Anil Ambani.
I have not replaced Modi: Kejriwal
New Delhi, Mar 5 (IANS): Amid reports that the Wharton School has invited Arvind Kejriwal as a replacement to Gujarat Chief Minister for a lecture, the AAP leader Tuesday said his address at the US management college has "absolutely nothing to do" with the BJP leader.
The abrupt cancellation Sunday of the invitation to Modi to speak via videoconference at annual Wharton India Economic Forum in Philadelphia came after a war of words between Modi supporters and detractors.
"I have not replaced anyone. They were in touch with me for 10-15 days. The decision to not invite Modi was taken one or two days back," he said.
Kejriwal will deliver his lecture via videoconference March 23, the day he is set to sit on an indefinite hunger strike against rising power and water bills in Delhi.