The Conservatives’ candidate for Upper Bann, Amandeep Singh Bhogal, has travelled to India to sell Northern Ireland to opinion formers in the Sub-Continent.
Amandeep Singh Bhogal met with top Indian officials, Joint Secretary Nandini Singla (West Europe) and Joint Secretary Arun Sahu (Cultural), at the Ministry of External Affairs to explore co-operation in academia, education, agriculture, culture and industry. In a meeting with Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP - Ruling national Party) leaders and former cabinet minister Subramanian Swamy and leading academic Professor Madhav Nalapat, Amandeep promoted Northern Ireland as a natural partner for India, pointing to shared use of the English language, shared history and endless possibilities for investment in Northern Ireland.
Visiting the industrial city of Ludhiana in the Punjab, where he was welcomed officially by the Mayor of Ludhiana, Amandeep drummed up huge interest among industrialists in exploring business opportunities for manufacturing in Northern Ireland. Meeting the Chancellor of the Central University of Punjab, Dr SS Johl - Amandeep invited Punjabi farmers to establish links with farmers in Northern Ireland to exchange best practice, know-how and techniques. In an historic first, Amandeep invited Dr SS Johl to visit Northern Ireland at the earliest and engage in dialogue with Northern Ireland universities and farmers.
Amandeep visited the Lord Rana EduCity in Punjab where Lord Rana is running an incredible educational establishment for children starting at age 2 and extending right up to MBA courses. Amandeep was pleased to see the setting up of the new Conflict Studies Institute which he stated “Would help prepare the next generation of Indian and British leaders in understanding conflict resolution to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for all”
Harry Cullen, President of Northern Ireland Conservatives tweeted: “Only Conservatives are prepared to travel thousands of miles to seek job investment for NI especially Upper Bann, #VoteBhogal” and “Fantastic work Amandeep, to fly to India and seek investment in N I especially Upper Bann is really terrific #VoteBhogal”.
Amandeep said “There is immense potential to develop relations between the Punjab and Northern Ireland. Whether it is agricultural co-operation, cultural exchange or educational academic exchange, Northern Ireland and the Punjab can work together toward a prosperous future for both. Both regions are recovering from decades of pain and struggle. Their biggest strength is their people and if both can come together they can help make themselves the ‘Centre of Now’ – places where people join hands to generate wealth, create prosperity and secure a better future.”
Amandeep continued:
“The people of Upper Bann deserve an MP who will deliver a new Centre-right vision of ‘job counts not head counts’, to stand up in Westminster and fight for more jobs, more growth and more investment.
“A strong Conservative voice that will work hard to empower Upper Bann with a job for every hand, a roof for every head and prosperity for everybody.
“Born in the land of the five rivers, the Punjab, which faced its own ‘troubles’ for decades I know what it takes to connect communities, pool people together and strengthen society to enable economic security, generate wealth and a lasting interdependent peace.
“As a father of two, a former British Diplomat and an experienced foundry engineer I bring a wealth of real life experience to work hard to put Upper Bann on the global map as a place that is going places.
“Like our hope-filled youth, our strong families and our hard-working local businesses I am passionate about driving forward a peaceful and prosperous Upper Bann and deliver a government in Westminster that works for them.
“Together We Can in Upper Bann.”