According to a source familiar with the arrangements, it will likely be a meeting with the Indian diaspora during his visit to this city next month, to attend the United Nations summit, said sources. No American politicians will be present for the occasion due to the impending US elections.
The event is likely to be held at a large open ground on Long Island that can accommodate the anticipated 18,000 strong crowd, the source said.
The meeting will mark the contributions of the Indian-American community in the US and bilateral relationship between the two countries getting stronger while pushing for more robust people-to-people ties, the source said.
PM Modi is likely to visit New York between September 22-28 when other high-profile UN meetings, including 'Summit of the Future', are scheduled. He is likely to address the General Assembly on September 26.
The source revealed that the organizers would not invite US politicians so as not to allow any political hue in view of the US elections on November 5, according to the information. This decision has been taken so that any political overtone—the kind witnessed during the 'Howdy, Modi' event in Houston in 2019 when PM Modi's endorsement of then-US President Donald Trump had raised controversy—is obviated.
It is aiming to ensure the event is kept neutral and there is no political interpretation for any such occurrence, the source added.
During his first visit to New York in September 2014, PM Modi had held a rally at Madison Square Garden with the participation of around 20,000 people. The following year, he conducted a mega meeting with the diaspora in San Jose. Last year, he had participated in the International Day of Yoga at the UN.
Although it has not been disclosed where the Long Island meeting will take place, presumably it will be at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, Nassau County—where some of the World Cup Cricket matches occurred in June.
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