PATTERN:
The head of the US consulate General in Kolkata, Consul General melinda paveckwho was on a two-day visit to Patna, said the joint statement issued by the prime minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden Thursday reflects strong relations between the two countries.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a state visit to the US, reflecting a wonderful and meaningful collaboration between the US and India. The joint statement made by PM Modi and President Biden has 58 paragraphs and each paragraph has deep meaning. He talks about critical and emerging technologies, defense cooperation, educational links, space explorations and how to combat global health problems, among others. India has also signed the Artemis Accords, which unite like-minded countries in civilian space exploration,” Pavek said on Friday.
When asked about his opinion on the meeting of the opposition parties in Patna and Prime Minister Modi is in the United States, the US. Consul general he said it was a sign of a flourishing democracy.
“I see Bihar as the birthplace of democracy and the US and India are the largest democracies in the world. The reality of democracy lies in the different ideas of people about the direction the country should take and its policies. Getting the parties together, whether it be the opposition or the ruling parties, to sit down and talk about the direction of the country and what the policies are and how they are going to tell their story to the voters, is a sign of a flourishing democracy.” Pavek said.
She added: “It’s like the United States. In between the election cycle, political parties try to explain to people why they should be the next party and the person in charge. It is very important for democracy.”
When asked about the two-day G20 labor engagement group meeting in Patna against the backdrop of the high rate of labor migration in Bihar, Pavek said: “Labor migration has different perspectives. If people migrate voluntarily and the conditions are favorable for human existence, then it is a good thing. However, problems such as human trafficking also sometimes occur due to migration.”
He added that the United States Consulate has worked in the fight against trafficking for the last 10 years. “The Consulate has been working with different stakeholders, including state government officials, NGOs, law enforcement agencies, educators, and public relations executives to raise awareness about human trafficking,” Pavek said.
He further said: “India has taken some commendable steps in this area; especially the Railway Police are doing a great job of avoiding traffic.”
When asked about her observations on Bihar, the Consul General said: “Bihar is a culturally rich and historically significant place. With world heritage sites like Nalanda and Bodhgaya, there are plenty of opportunities for people from all over the world to come here and learn more about the birthplace of democracy. Places like the Bihar Museum add to the historical significance of the state.”
Pavek opens restaurant run by LGBTQI+
US Consul General in Kolkata Melinda Pavek launched ‘Satrangi Dostana Restro’, a restaurant in Patna run by people from the LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) community on Friday.
“The NGO invited me Dostana Safar for the opening of the first LGBTQI+ restaurant in Bihar. It was a wonderful opportunity as it also coincided with Pride month which is observed in the US in the month of June. It was a great opportunity to support the community. This restaurant will employ 40 people and act as a gallery for LGBTQ+ people to talk about the challenges they face, come up with new ideas, change social acceptance, so that their rights are more recognized and protected,” Pavek said.
Patna Mayor Sita Sahu, Deputy Mayor Reshmi Kumari, Arvind Kumar Paswan, Deputy Director of Urban Development and Housing Department were among the dignitaries present for the occasion. Reshma Prasad, Dostana Safar’s secretary, moderated the event. On the occasion, the status of the transgender community in the sustainable development goals was discussed.
Be First to Comment