PM attends Ramlila in poll-bound UP

Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in the historic Ramlila programme here had been dubbed as a cultural one, the state BJP leaders and workers turned it virtually into a party function.

Though Modi, who became the first prime minister to attend such an event in the state capital, refrained from launching a direct attack on his political rivals, BJP supporters, who outnumbered the genuine devotees, raised slogans in favour of their leaders.

Modi’s participation in the event was steeped in religious fervour. He began with performing aarti of the two characters who played Lord Rama and his brother Laxman at Ramlila and later applied vermilion on their foreheads amid chanting vedic mantras.

The prime minister was presented a mace and a saffron turban by the organisers of the event. Modi was hailed as Lord Hanuman, the monkey god who helped Lord Rama win the war with Ravana.
Modi was also given a ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ (the weapon used by Lord Krishna to kill enemies) and also ‘Brahmastra' (the weapon used by Lord Brahma).

A bow and arrow were also presented to Modi.

The prime minister also spent considerable time at the Ramlila after finishing his speech. He witnessed the killing of Ravana by Lord Rama and left the venue thereafter.

The small Ramlila ground reverberated with chants of ‘Jai Shriram’ during the speeches by Modi and other saffron party leaders.

UP BJP leaders said that Modi’s visit would go a long way in “re-energising” the party cadre in the state, where assembly polls were due early next year.

‘Prime minister always on duty’
A prime minister of India is on duty all the time, the The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has said, adding no leave records of former prime ministers are available with it, PTI reports from New Delhi.
The PMO said this when an RTI applicant sought a copy of leave rules and procedures for the prime minister of the country from it and the Cabinet secretariat.
“The prime minister can be said to be on duty all the time,” the Right to Information(RTI) response from the PMO said.
The applicant also wanted to know if former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee among others had availed any leave and were there any records. “Information regarding leave record of previous prime ministers is not a part of records held by this office. However, it may be noted that no leave has been availed by present Prime Minister i.e Shri Narendra Modi since taking over charge,” the RTI response said.