Gujarat Confidential: Gujarati speech
3 min readVadodaraMay 13, 2026 05:26 PM IST Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi (File photo).In a symbolic political response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for citizens to avoid foreign travel and practice economic restraint amid global uncertainty, two Gujarat BJD leaders, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Anand MP Mitesh Patel, Wednesday cancelled their planned visit to the United States for a major convention with the Gujarati diaspora. They justified their decision by supporting what they describe as a “nation first” economic appeal. Sanghavi and Patel were scheduled to attend a Gujarati Convention organised by the Federation of Gujarati Associations of USA (FOGAUSA) in the United States from May 19, where they were invited as chief guests. However, both leaders decided to cancel the visit following the Prime Minister’s call.The cancellation of the high-profile US visit by the Gujarat leaders is being seen as an early political endorsement of the Prime Minister’s broader push for economic restraint and domestic consumption to prepare for a period of global uncertainty triggered by the West Asia and US conflict. The ‘United Gujarati 2026’ grand convention is scheduled to be held from May 22 to 25 at Renaissance Orlando (SeaWorld), USA. The event will mark the second such convention that unites over 1.8 million Gujaratis living in the USA. The move comes after Prime Minister Modi on his visit to Vadodara on Monday urged the countrymen to revert to ‘Covid-era’ habits such as work-from-home, virtual meetings, car pooling and reduced fuel consumption, warning that the ongoing conflict could emerge as “one of the biggest crises of this decade” after the coronavirus pandemic. Modi made a series of public appeals urging citizens to adopt economic discipline and strengthen the spirit of “India First” and to voluntarily avoid foreign travel for one year in order to conserve foreign exchange and support national economic resilience. Anand MP Mitesh Patel said he was “voluntarily withdrawing” from the US visit following the Prime Minister’s appeal. Patel said, “Respecting the appeal made by the country’s respected Prime Minister not to undertake foreign travel, I have voluntarily cancelled my proposed visit to the United States for the FOGAUSA event. Commitment towards the nation and leadership stands above everything else.”Story continues below this ad “The PM’s appeal was rooted in the principle of ‘nation first’ and aimed at strengthening India’s self-reliance and national upliftment. My decision reflects my unwavering dedication towards the nation and complete commitment towards Modiji.” In response to the global economic situation, Sanghavi also urged citizens of Gujarat to support all the Prime Minister’s appeals for the country’s economic self-reliance and protection. Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National
