The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis, accompanied by a delegation, was in Mauritius for a two-day official visit. The purpose of his visit to Mauritius was to inaugurate the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who, he recalled, was the greatest king in the history of India, who fought the colonial powers and taught Indians what freedom is. The inauguration was held on Friday evening by the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis in the presence of the Prime Minister and other eminent personalities.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Jugnauth said that the gracious presence of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Fadnavis, shows his appreciation of the close ties between the Marathi community in Mauritius and Maharashtra. The Prime Minister called for strengthening unity, harmony, and patriotism, which he said will help the country move forward. He reiterated that as the Prime Minister he is committed to provide necessary support to socio-cultural and religious groups.
Prime Minister Jugnauth laid emphasis on the importance of preserving all the different religious and cultural identities that thrive in the multicultural fabric of Mauritius. The values and good morals that are imbued in our rich cultural heritage should be transmitted to the young leaders of tomorrow for it is poised to safeguard them from indulging in wrongdoings, he stressed.
The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra expressed his belief that under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Mauritius will further consolidate its relations with Maharashtra and India.
He announced that to deepen the cultural and commercial ties between Maharashtra and Mauritius, the following support will be provided to Mauritius: a sum of Rs. 44 million will be provided for the development of a multipurpose hall at the Maharashtra Bhawan; scholarships will be given to ten students; a help desk will be set up for Mauritians from the Marathi community who wish to reconnect with their ancestral roots; and a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Economic Development Board Mauritius and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, to enable the business communities to interact.
Yesterday, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his delegation visited the first settlement of the Marathi community in Mauritius, in the Black River Gorge. They then visited the Pandhurang Khestra Mandir in Cascavelle and went to the Ganga Talao.
The deputy Chief minister is known for his intellectual acumen and professional integrity. He was awarded the Best Parliamentarian Award by Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in 2002-2003. He underlined that discussions focused on the existing bilateral ties and on ways to further reinforce relations between India and Mauritius. Developing business opportunities in Africa by positioning Mauritius at the forefront.
On his part, Minister Alan Ganoo stated that it is an honour to have both the Prime Minister Jugnauth and the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra grace the twin celebrations. He expressed gratitude to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for the generous donation of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose unveiling, he emphasised, is of great significance as it marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Mauritius.
The official visit of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra to Mauritius, he added, translates into an effective manner the shared vision for the establishment of stronger relations between the state of Maharashtra, India and Mauritius.
His delegation has participated in a business forum with Mauritian and Indian businessmen. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Economic Development Board and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation to promote investment and facilitate business opportunities in Mauritius and India, he indicated. Discussions moreover focused on tourism and soon, an MoU will be finalised in the tourism sector, he added.
