Deluge dampens G20 summit: Bharat Mandapan flooded, Congress takes swipe at Government

The G20 Summit, chaired by New Delhi, had initially promised to be a resounding success for India, with the African Union securing membership within the group, thanks to India's persistent advocacy for the 'Global South.' Additionally, the New Delhi Declaration was unanimously adopted, addressing the Ukraine conflict without explicitly blaming Russia.

New Delhi: Following two consecutive days of relentless rainfall in Delhi, images of a submerged Bharat Mandapan, the designated location for India's G20 Summit, that went viral, gained widespread attention. The Congress party seized this opportunity to interject itself into the ongoing dispute over the absence of an invitation to their leader, Mallikarjun Kharge.

In an X post sharing the inundated venue and illustrating individuals engaged in water extraction efforts, Youth Congress leader Srinivas BV humorously remarked on the situation. His statement playfully suggested that 'Vikas' (Development) was indeed making progress, alluding to the government's development promises and the well-known party slogan, 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.'

The G20 Summit, chaired by New Delhi, had initially promised to be a resounding success for India, with the African Union securing membership within the group, thanks to India's persistent advocacy for the 'Global South.' Additionally, the New Delhi Declaration was unanimously adopted, addressing the Ukraine conflict without explicitly blaming Russia.

Delhi's unfortunate rendezvous with heavy rain commenced on Day 1 of the global Summit, Saturday, and the downpour showed no signs of abating through the following day. Consequently, various parts of the national capital experienced severe waterlogging, exacerbating an already complex situation marked by heightened security measures and traffic restrictions due to the summit.

Even as the continuous downpour persisted, global leaders made a poignant visit to Rajghat to pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting their commitment to the principles of non-violence and peaceful coexistence.

The inundated visuals from the summit venue sparked a cascade of reactions from politicians and netizens alike. While the Opposition lambasted the Centre for the waterlogged situation, citizens shared humorous takes on the situation, exemplifying the Indian spirit of resilience and humour in the face of adversity.

In an unexpected silver lining, the persistent showers managed to keep the temperature in the national capital under control, with the minimum temperature settling at 23.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday— two notches below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD reported that Delhi had recorded 39 mm of rainfall up until 8:30 a.m., providing some relief from the otherwise scorching summer temperatures.