Narendra Modi pays tribute to Gandhi, Vajpayee before swearing-in ceremony
Narendra Modi will take oath as Prime Minister of India for a record third time today, with several international heads of state in attendance, including Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, among others.
Prior to the occasion, he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal in Delhi. He then proceeded to the National War Memorial and laid a wreath there. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was pictured with Modi at the War Memorial.
Also read: CWC passes resolution to appoint Rahul Gandhi as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony
The swearing-in event will take place at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 7.15 p.m., with President Droupadi Murmu administering the oath to Modi and his Cabinet.
According to sources of India Today, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has been invited to attend Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on Saturday. However, Kharge will decide whether to attend the ceremony after discussing with INDIA bloc members, according to the sources.
Following his election as leader of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Modi met with President Murmu on Friday, who formally invited him to form the government. She fed him ‘dahi-cheeni’ (curd combined with sugar), which is considered auspicious in Indian culture before taking on critical work or starting a new endeavor.
Also read: Nitish Kumar was offered PM post by INDIA bloc: KC Tyagi
Delhi Police issues traffic advisory ahead of the ceremony
The Delhi Police has issued a traffic advice ahead of the star-studded event, with many layers of security in place, similar to the G20 Summit held in India last year. Drones, snipers, paramilitary men, and NSG commandos will protect the Rashtrapati Bhavan during the ceremony. Commandos from the Delhi Police SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) and NSG.
“Around 2,500 police personnel, including five companies of paramilitary and Delhi Armed Police (DAP) jawans, have been planned to be deployed around the venue,” an official told news agency PTI.
The airspace in Delhi will also be restricted today from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. owing to the swearing-in ceremony, according to PTI. The limits would not apply to scheduled flights by scheduled operators, nor will they have an influence on IAF, BSF, or Army aviation helicopter operations. Non-scheduled aircraft of scheduled airlines, as well as chartered planes, will not be able to land or take off during the period, according to PTI, quoting the NOTAM.
