Pomp and tradition mark NEW PRESIDENT’S FIRST DAY
NEW DELHI: For the 14th time in India’s history, a new president stepped into the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, on a day of ceremony and regalia that started with a gentle knock on the door of Ram Nath Kovind’s Akbar Road residence in the morning.
It was Military Secretary to the President, Major General Anil Khosla, inviting 71-yearold Kovind and his wife Savita to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Pranab Mukherjee was waiting for them in the study.
A few hours later, the roles had reversed and President Kovind escorted Mukherjee out of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Earlier, the then presidentelect and the outgoing president had gone to the grand Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt where they were escorted to the saluting dais.
Mukherjee took the last salute of the President’s Bodyguard (PBG), the cavalry regiment of the Indian Army, with Kovind standing to his left.
He and his successor drove down Raisina Hill to the Central Hall of the Parliament in a black limousine, with Mukherjee in the right and Kovind on the left.
Escorting them was a grand equestrian procession by the PBG, dressed in white ceremonial uniforms and blue turbans with gold ornamental work.
The road from Rashtrapati Bhavan to Parliament was lined with 1,000 jawans from all three services of the armed forces offering the traditional ‘hazaar salaam’ to the president -- the supreme commander of the defence forces.
The procession reached gate five of Parliament where Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Chief Justice of India J S Kehar received President Mukherjee and Presidentelect Kovind who were then taken to the Central Hall.
After the oath ceremony, Kovind met leaders in Central Hall before leaving for the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presidential limousine, this time with Mukherjee in the left and India’s new president on the right.
The skies opened up as the procession made its way from Parliament to Rashtrapati Bhavan. The black tarmac of Rajpath seemed washed clean as the PBG marched with military precision in the pouring rain.
Kovind and Mukherjee reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan where the former took charge after signing the register.
After taking charge, Kovind came out to the forecourt in the Presidential buggy, a black carriage with national emblem--the Ashoka insignia-embossed in gold and drawn by six horses. It was Mukherjee who had revived the tradition of the buggy ride. Kovind inspected the Guard of Honour and returned inside.
He then escorted Mukherjee to the forecourt in the buggy where the former president was given the last Guard of Honour. Kovind then accompanied Mukherjee in the Presidential limousine to see him off to his new residence at 10, Rajaji Marg which was once occupied by former president AP J Abdul Kalam. NEW DELHI: As Ram Nath Kovind took office and Pranab Mukherjee bowed out, the Twitter account of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday started functioning as the 140- character digital platform for the 14th president of India.
The Twitter account of Mukherjee, who stepped down as president, has been archived. He has opened a new personal account with the handle @ Citiznmukherjee.
“What’s happening in India and around the world, happens on Twitter. Today, we are paving the way for the digital transition of the President of India’s official account,” said Mahima Kaul, head of public policy, Twitter India.
“The new president, Ram Nath Kovind, will now use the official President of India account @Rashtrapatibhvn,” Kaul said.
A smooth transition between administrations was one of Mukherjee’s top priorities as president, she said, adding that digital was a key pillar in today’s Internet age. NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha was on Tuesday adjourned for the day, virtually without transacting any substantial business, after Congress members created an uproar over a range of issues, including remarks made by certain BJP MPS against its leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and the revocation of suspension of six of its members.
Congress and opposition parties were also demanding a discussion on the lynching incidents in the country in the name of cow protection.
Scindia said BJP MPS Veerendra Kumar and Nandkumar Singh Chouhan had levelled certain allegations against him pertaining to the Dalit community.
He said if these remarks were found to be true, then he would quit as the member of the House and demanded that if the BJP leaders failed to prove their allegation, then they should tender their resignations. “My image has been tarnished,” Kharge said.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, defended Scindia and said the Guna MP has been fighting for the well-being of the Dalits in the House over the last 15 years.
As Congress members, including Scindia, Kantilal Bhuria, K C Venugopal and Ravneet Singh Bittu, rushed to the Well, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she was trying to accomodate everyone by allowing them to ventilate their concerns.
However, members from the treasury benches also vociferously responded to the Congress charge, leading to a ruckus in the House.
This led Mahajan to warn the members that if any one of the officials or the Secretary General are harmed by mistake, then consequences would not be good.
Anguished over the unruly scenes, the Speaker said “if you are bent upon creating a ruckus, how will the House run? I have told you to raise your concerns under the rules ...
Don’t try to teach me (how to run the House)”.
Kharge said the opposition also wants the House to function. He also accused Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar of trying to “pour petrol into the fire”.
As the din continued, Mahajan adjourned the House for the day.
Soon after the House had reassembled at 3 PM, the Speaker ordered the listed papers to be laid.