NEWTON - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Surrey today during a three-day trip to Canada.
Modi is scheduled to speak at Surrey's Laxmi Narayan Temple today (April 16), at 5 p.m. in an event hosted by the Vedic Hundi Cultural Society and Hindu Sikh Forum of Canada.
"I think this is a historic moment. It's the first time ever any prime minister from India is going to visit Surrey," said VHCS vice president Vinay Sharma.
VHCS president Satish Kumar said the visit will be remembered for years to come.
"It's a great honour," said Kumar.
"This certainly will be a historic moment for the Indian Diaspora living in Metro Vancouver."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been invited, but it's not yet known if he
will attend the event at the Surrey venue.
Two human rights rallies are planned to protest the prime ministers' visit - one at 11 a.m. in Vancouver and another at 3 p.m. at Surrey's Laxmi Narayan Temple.
"Canada and India enjoy a close friendship based on shared values of democracy, pluralism and a mutual interest in expanding trade," Harper said in a release.
The visit will "provide an opportunity for the leaders to reaffirm the close relationship between Canada and India and to discuss ways to further broaden its scope. Increased co-operation in the fields of science and technology, innovation, education, security, counter-terrorism and energy are expected to feature prominently in discussions."
This is the first bilateral visit to Canada by an Indian Prime Minister since 1973.
The Laxmi Narayan Temple is located at 8321 140th St. Surrey RCMP will close 140th Street between 72nd and 88th avenues from approximately 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more details on road and foot traffic closures, visit Thenownewspaper.com.
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