PM Modi to not attend Bhagavad Gita mass recitation event in Kolkata

The Bhagavad Gita mass recitation programme, scheduled for Sunday in Kolkata, would take place without Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Organisers of 'Ek Saath – Ek Lakh – Gita Path', in a press conference last week, had mentioned that they were expecting the PM’s presence at the venue. However, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, on Wednesday, said that Prime Minister Modi would not be present at the event.

“His (PM’s) office has said that he is busy due to unavoidable reasons,” Adhikari said.

“Shankaracharya ji (Sadananda Saraswati of Dwarka) will be attending the event. The sant-samaj (sadhus) will be present. We (political leaders) will not be on the stage. We will act as volunteers, and recite Gita at the venue,” Adhikari said.

He added that around 3,500 sants (sadhus) would be coming for the event. Adhikari further said that around 55,000 Bengali translations and 34,000 Hindi copies of the Bhagavad Gita have been sold in the last 10 days.