Modi showers petals on workers, has lunch with them
Varanasi (UP), Dec. 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday showered floral petals on a group of workers who have been part of the construction of the mega Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and attended its inauguration held with great pageantry in the holy city.
The Prime Minister also had lunch with the workers at a hall in the complex.
Labourers, engineers, and craftspersons from various parts of India have contributed to building the Corridor and refurbishing the premises of the revered ancient temple, the whole area being referred to as Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
Prime Minister Modi dedicated the Corridor in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi to the people after taking a holy dip in the river Ganga and offering prayers at the temple that draws lakhs of visitors from India and abroad.
Modi after performing ‘puja’ met a group of workers who sat on a terraced gallery near the temple. Walking among them with a flower basket, he showered petals on them while the workers, who wore construction site jackets, clapped, cheered and greeted him with folded hands.
The Prime Minister also sat with the workers in the gallery on which a red carpet was laid and got pictures taken with them after gesturing them to sit closer to him.
A giant banner bearing images of Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and thanking the Prime Minister for realising the ‘dream of Kashi’ was put up in the background.
Later, the prime minister also had lunch with them.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister was also showered with rose petals and unbound adulation amid chants of “Har Har Mahadev” as he travelled through the Varanasi streets.
After arriving in the town in the morning, he first visited the Kal Bhairav temple, fondly called “Kashi ka Kotwal” and paid his obeisance to the deity.
Amid tight security, his convey then moved out of the area as local residents chanted “Har Har Mahadev.”
The streets posed a challenge for both the SPG and local police forces but amid this a man sought to offer a pink-shade “pagdi” to PM Modi near Kal Bhairav Mandir as security personnel tried to push him away.
Modi then motioned from inside the car and the man was allowed to come near and offer the “pagdi” to him.
The man, wearing a saffron robe, then offered a “pitambari” (saffron angvastra’) to the PM, which he accepted with folded hands and a smile.
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