A new video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unveiled on Saturday as he commenced his second and final day of meditation in Kanyakumari. Dressed in saffron dhoti-kurta and a scarf, the PM was observed praying with his japa mala (prayer beads).
During sunrise at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Modi performed ‘Surya Arghya,’ a ritual linked with spiritual practice that involves salutations to the Almighty, embodied in the form of the sun.
The Prime Minister poured a small amount of water from a traditional, beaker-like vessel into the sea as an offering (Arghya) and prayed with his japa mala.
Modi also offered floral tributes to a statue of Swami Vivekananda. He strolled around the mandapam with his ‘japa mala‘ in hand.
Kanyakumari is renowned for its sunrise and sunset, and the memorial is situated on a small islet near the shore. At the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the PM began his meditation on the evening of May 30 and is set to conclude it on Saturday evening.
BJP spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi mentioned that Modi embodies the cultural and traditional essence of the Indian nation, which is reflected in its temples across the country and even beyond, like in Balochistan.
Trivedi’s remarks came in response to the Opposition’s claim that broadcasting videos and images of PM Modi’s meditation violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The Bharatiya Janata Party accused opposition parties of playing politics, stating that they lack an understanding of India and Indianness.
The opposition can never comprehend this as they aim to eliminate Sanatan Dharma and oppose ‘Shakti’, Trivedi alleged. He claimed that opposition parties despise India’s traditions, temples, and efforts to revitalize its sacred sites.
Opposition leaders detest a leader engaged in silent meditation. However, they have a tradition of paying respects at the tomb of Mughal king Babur, he pointed out, naming Jawaharlal Nehru and Rahul Gandhi. They also host iftars where neither the host nor the guests observe fasting, added the BJP spokesperson.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as well, Prime Minister Modi visited Kedarnath in Uttarakhand for a comparable activity shortly before the election results were declared. During this time, he engaged in a 15-hour-long meditation in solitude.