Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 30
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath of office and secrecy today, the enthusiasm among the leaders and the audience was as high as it was on May 26, 2014.
As many as 8,000 people were packed into the forecourt of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan - the official residence of the President.
Arrangements were also as grand with better care being taken this time to ensure that the wait for the guests before the ceremony began was more comfortable. It is not easy to sit for two-three hours (for many the wait was longer) under the blazing sun in the peak of summer. But that's how the protocol works for such high-profile events and for invitees to be part of such an event was worth the wait and the effort.
After all, it is not every day that one gets to witness the history in the making - "the largest event ever organised by the Rashtrapati Bhavan", according to officials. Though a big difference this time was that the first citizen of the country, President Ram Nath Kovind who administered the oath to the PM and his council today, was someone who had been handpicked by the BJP and its ideological fountainhead, the RSS, for the top job.
This, many saffron supporters said, made the event even more special for them. Otherwise, they spent time waiting and even during the ceremony clicking selfies and pictures, making the most of "once-in-a lifetime visit" to the President House. When Modi had taken the oath last time, Pranab Mukherjee was occupying the top post.
Modi was welcomed today with loud cheers and slogans of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Bharat Mata ki jai". He also received loud cheer when he took the oath for his second consecutive term. BJP chief Amit Shah also got his share of claps.
Others who got a similar response from the crowd were Smriti Irani, Anurag Thakur and Pratap Sarangi. The newly elected MP from Odisha became a social media favourite when a photo of him packing his bags for Delhi after winning the 2019 Lok Sabha elections went viral on the social media.
Today again he stole the show at the swearing-in ceremony, securing a berth in Modi's council of ministers. Many cheered and also gave a standing ovation to Sarangi before he was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the President. A photograph of him packing his bags in his bamboo hut was shared many times after he got a call from Delhi.
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2WfAtJk
via Today’s News Headlines
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