Global conspiracy will not succeed against India

In Bengal too, Modi referred to plans “aimed at hurting” India’s global image associated with tea and yoga, asserted that the country will foil such “conspiracies”, and also launched multiple road and gas projects worth about ₹5, 000 crore. In Assam, he inaugurated an ambitious road network project, laid the foundation of two medical colleges, and backed at least one medical college and a technical institution in each state that will impart education in the local language. “I would like to mention conspiracies that are being hatched against the country these days. In order to malign the country, the conspirators have stooped to such a level that they are not even sparing Indian tea, ” Modi said in his address at Dhekiajuli in Assam, a major producer of the brew. Though he did not elaborate, his comments came in the backdrop of Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg tweeting a controversial toolkit --- then deleting it and reposting an updated version -- in support of the ongoing farmers’ protest. One of the points reportedly mentioned there was to “disrupt yoga and chai image of India in general”, according to news agency PTI. India says the toolkit, or the document calling for greater mobilisation of the farmers’ agitation, is linked to a pro-Khalistani group. Also, a few years ago, NGO Greenpeace claimed in a report alleged overuse of pesticides in the Indian tea industry.