Guwahati, February 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a grand welcome in Assam on Saturday evening with a massive diya lighting ceremony at the Veterinary College playground in Khanapara, Guwahati.
The event witnessed the lighting of over 1 lakh diyas to welcome the Prime Minister on his two-day visit to the state. It is being touted as a world record for the maximum number of diyas lit at an event.
Modi Visit to Focus on Peace Accord, Projects Launch
PM Modi reached Guwahati earlier in the day where he was received by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with other ministers and senior officials. After landing, PM Modi headed straight to Kamakhya Temple to offer prayers.
His visit will focus on the celebrations for the signing of the Bodo peace accord as well as inaugurating and laying foundation stones for various central govt projects in the state. He is slated to address a public gathering at the Veterinary College field on Saturday evening.
On Sunday, the PM will distribute land pattas/allotment certificates and launch a portal for monitoring the implementation of the Accord.
Grand Diya Ceremony to Set World Record
The diya lighting ceremony was organized by the Assam government to accord a warm welcome to the Prime Minister. Sources claimed over 1 lakh diyas were lit by BJP workers and local citizens to set a new world record.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that 1.5 lakh people turned up at the massive event. Artists performed cultural programmes like Bihu dance while the crowd waited for PM Modi’s arrival.
Sarma shared images of the venue on Twitter showcasing the glittering diyas placed all across the massive ground. “I thank people of Assam for turning up in large numbers to participate in this historic event,” he tweeted.
Modi to Inaugurate Projects Worth Rs 15,599 Crores
Apart from attending the Bodo Accord event, the highlight of PM Modi’s visit is the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremonies for central government projects worth around Rs 15,599 crores.
He will also address a mass gathering at Jerenga Pothar in Sivasagar where over 2 lakh people are expected to turn up.
Among the big projects on PM’s agenda are a veterinary college in Guwahati, medical colleges, and hospitals across Assam. He will also launch ‘Asom Mala’, a programme for state highways and major district roads worth Rs 7,700 crores.
The Prime Minister’s visit is being seen as significant by both ruling BJP and opposition parties in poll-bound Assam. While BJP aims to gain electoral mileage from the PM’s presence, Congress has announced it will hold a protest on CAA during his visit.
Watch PM Modi’s visit highlights posted on X by CM, Himanta.
