New Delhi, May 30
The stage is all set at the fore court of Rashtrapati Bhawan for the swearing-in-ceremony of Narendra Modi Government 2.0, as the venue is decked up with all necessary arrangement to host its largest ever one event gathering of around 8,000 people. The oath taking ceremony will begin 7 pm.
In attendance at the ceremony are host of foreign dignitaries including leaders from BIMSTEC nations and Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov, the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. Envoys of the several countries in India are also attending the event.
Among the top Indian personalities, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of states, corporate honchos, sports personalities and film stars are in attendance as President Ram Nath Kovind will begin administering the oath of office and secrecy to 68-year-old Modi and his ministerial colleagues at 7 pm.
Even the family members of victims of alleged political violence in West Bengal, invited for the event, are seen in attendance at the forecourt. The issue did not go down well with TMC leader and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, who yesterday changed her mind and decided not to attend the ceremony.
Keeping in view of the large gathering, ramps have been built in the sitting area and the stage for the ceremony has been kept a bit high to make the ceremony accessible to more people to watch properly.
Meanwhile, as a routine drill, all the government offices around the Rashtrapati Bhavan have been closed early today. In an order the department of personnel had yesterday directed that the government offices “located in the North Block, South Block, Rail Bhawan, Vayu Bhawan, Sena Bhawan, DRDO and Hutments would be closed early at 2 pm on May 30”.
After the event will get over around 8.30 pm, the officials said, the Rashtrapati Bhawan has arranged high tea, where a vegetarian fare ranging from samosas to Rajbhog and lemon tarts will be served.
Besides, the President will also host a private light dinner for the visiting dignitaries, where both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food would be served, they said, adding that the highlight on the occasion would be signature ‘Raisina Dal’, which is cooked for 48 hours before being served.
The President’s kitchen has taken into consideration that many visiting dignitaries are from countries to India’s east whose cuisine is usually not very rich or heavy, and the timing of the event will make it rather a late meal for them when compared to their local time.
