G20 dinner: Nitish Kumar to attend, Manmohan Singh invited, Kharge isn't

The President’s G20 dinner has been in the eye of a political storm after invitations to the event referred to President Droupadi Murmu as the 'President of Bharat' instead of the customary 'President of India'. The move has been met with strident criticism from opposition parties, who have accused the government of attempting to change the country's name to Bharat.

As the controversy continues to simmer, the Centre has also extended invitations to former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda. JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda said he would not be attending the event, citing health reasons. There was no confirmation from Congress leader Manmohan Singh, who has also been ailing for a long time.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also expected to attend the dinner. The JD(U) chief will leave for Delhi at 10.45 AM on Saturday. Kumar will likely run into Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the gala event, which would make it their first meeting since July 2022.

However, several top Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, have not been invited to the G20 dinner hosted by the President. The snub has been criticised by the opposition INDIA bloc.

“It tells you that they don’t value the Leader of the Opposition. Hence, they didn’t invite use for the G20 Summit,” said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, adding that he too did not get an invitation to the dinner.

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Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had confirmed that she would be travelling to Delhi for the dinner. The news came a day after she sharply attacked the government and questioned the need to "suddenly use only Bharat" while referring to India in an official communique. The Trinamool chief's decision to attend the G20 dinner was welcomed by the ruling BJP.

The G20 Summit, scheduled for September 9-10 in Delhi, is set to host top leaders from various countries including the US, the UK, Canada, and the European Union. The summit will be held at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, which has been decked up royally to welcome foreign delegates.

The President’s G20 dinner slated for Saturday will be held at a brand-new $300-million venue designed in the shape of a conch shell, with a menu featuring Indian cuisine with a special emphasis on millets, a grain promoted by the country.

Adding to the grandeur of the event, a three-hour concert featuring different styles of classical and contemporary music will be performed for the world leaders.

The performance, titled 'Bharat Vadya Darshanam: Musical Journey of India', by the 'Gaandharva Aatodyam' group, will showcase Indian classical musical instruments such as santoor, saranagi, jal tarang, and shehnai.