In Odisha, PM Modi says he declined Donald Trump’s invite to US due to THIS reason – ‘very important for me to go to…’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on June 20 that he had declined an invitation from US President Donald Trump to visit Washington and had instead chosen to visit Odisha, the sacred land of Lord Jagannath.

PM Modi arrived in Odisha on June 20, a day after returning from his five-day trip to Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia.

“Just two days ago, I was in Canada for the G7 summit and the US President Trump called me. He said, since you have come to Canada, go via Washington, we will have dinner together and talk. He extended the invitation with great insistence. I told the US President, thank you for the invitation,” Modi said, speaking at a public event in Bhubaneswar.

From Canada, Modi travelled to Croatia on June 18 before returning to India on June 20.

President Trump had invited PM Modi to meet during his current visit to the USA, but due to a pre-existing schedule, PM Modi was unable to accept the invitation. Both leaders agreed to meet in the near future, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on June 18.

"It is very important for me to go to the land of Mahaprabhu and hence I politely declined his invitation and your love and devotion to Mahaprabhu brought me to this land," Modi said in Odisha.

PM Modi participated in the first anniversary function of the BJP's maiden government in the state and launched development projects worth over ₹18,600 crore.

(With PTI inputs)