Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi, 63, will be sworn-in as the India`s 15 Prime Minister on Monday by President Pranab Mukherjee at a grand, open air ceremony in the forecourt of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhawan, which will be watched throughout India and in international capitals.
The swearing-in ceremony will be attended by nearly 4,000 guests, including top leaders from SAARC countries like Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
President Pranab Mukherjee will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers in the presence of a host of leaders, including outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi, besides leaders of various other parties and Chief Ministers of a number of states.
Modi`s mother Hiraben is also expected to attend the ceremony.
Besides Sharif and Rajapaksa, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will be among the foreign dignitaries attending the ceremony.
Bangladesh will be represented by Speaker Shirin Chaudhury as Premier Sheikh Hasina would be traveling to Japan at the time of the swearing-in ceremony.
This is the first time that the heads of states of SAARC nations have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Indian Prime Minister.
Following in the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi had expressed his desire to be sworn in at the forecourt so that a large number of visitors can be accommodated for the ceremony.
Earlier, Chandrashekar was another Prime Minister who had taken oath at the same venue.
The historic Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan is the usual venue for such ceremonies. But since it can accommodate about 500 people, the forecourt was decided as the suitable venue.
Tomorrow, will begin the day by visiting Raj Ghat: PM-designate Modi
The PM-designate Narendra Modi today posted on mocroblogging website twitter, “Tomorrow, will begin the day by visiting Raj Ghat & paying my respects to Pujya Bapu.”
Tomorrow, will begin the day by visiting Raj Ghat & paying my respects to Pujya Bapu.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2014
BJP office decorated on eve of Modi`s oath taking ceremony
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office has been decorated with lights on the eve of PM-designate Narendra Modi`s swearing-in ceremony.
SAARC Anthem to be played at Modi`s swearing-in ceremony
Playing the SAARC anthem penned by the Indian poet-diplomat at the swearing in ceremony ofNarendra Modi could express the vision of the new Prime Minister of India poetically and perhaps would also make the leaders of the SAARC countries feel at home in New Delhi.
The SAARC Summit is soon going to take place in Kathmandu and would be the perfect occasion to formally adopt an official SAARC Anthem.
President to host `private dinner` for SAARC leaders
Gujarati popular dish kela methi nu shaak, mouth-watering `Chicken chettinad` from Tamil Nadu, Punjab`s Dal makhani and Bengali dish Potol Dorma will be served at a private dinner hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee for visiting foreign dignitaries tomorrow.
The visiting leaders from SAARC countries and Mauritius, who will be here for the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as country`s 15th Prime Minister, will have a lavish spread out at `Yellow Drawing Room` of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Dishes for the menu which are popular in different parts of the country were finalised by Rashtrapati Bhavan and External Affairs Ministry officials in consultations with in-house chefs.
10,000 security personnel for Modi`s swearing-in
Around 10,000 security personnel will be deployed in and around Rashtrapati Bhavan when Narendra Modi takes oath as India`s new prime minister tomorrow.
The security personnel will be drawn from paramilitary forces as well as the Special Protection Group and the National Security Guard. There will be a four-layered security around the presidential palace, with Delhi Police handling the outer layer, said Delhi Police Joint Commissioner MK Meena said.
JDU calls for fresh start in Indo-Pak relations
Janata Dal - United (JD-U) leader KC Tyagi today welcomed the change in stance of the BJP towards Pakistan and called for a fresh start in the relations between the two countries.
"We welcome the change in stance of the BJP towards Pakistan. Modi and Sharif should start afresh with the relations between the two countries," said Tyagi.
"The BJP has been raising the issue of terrorism and incursion for past so many years. So this is an opportunity to raise these issues. Peace should prevail between the two countries," he added.
Pak releases Indian fishermen, Sri Lanka to follow
In a goodwill gesture, Pakistan today freed 151 Indian fishermen while Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered the release of all detained Indian fishermen on the eve of the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi.
Uddhav Thackeray to attend Modi`s oath ceremony
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be attending Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi`s oath taking ceremony, reports said on Sunday.
Bihar CM Manjhi to attend Modi`s swearing-in
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will attend PM-designate Narendra Modi`s swearing-in ceremony, officials said.
"Manjhi will attend Modi`s swearing-in ceremony as he has to raise the demand of special category status to Bihar," said an official of the chief minister`s office.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar Sunday decided not to attend the oath-taking ceremony.
Karnataka, Kerala Congress CMs to skip Modi`s swearing-in, Jaya keeps up
suspense
Congress chief ministers of Karnataka and Kerala are not attending tomorrow`s swearing-in of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister while there was suspense on whether Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will participate amid reports on Sunday said that she has decided to boycott it.
Mamata to skip, Amit Mitra, Mukul Roy to attendbModi`s swearing-in ceremony
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will send Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Amit Mitra and Mukul Roy for Narendra Modi`s swearing-in as Prime Minister on May 26, report said.
The above report clearly indicates that by sending her representatives in the ceremony, Banerjee has made it clear that she is all set to skip the function.
With agency inputs
