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A meeting was arranged, quick calls were made, and messages were sent out with a simple instruction to reach the location near Palam airport “in large numbers” by 3 am — this is how the Delhi BJP mobilised party functionaries and supporters to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he landed at Palam airport after concluding his three-nation visit Thursday morning.
Speaking at the gathering, Modi encouraged conversations with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with regard to “a new” diplomatic side to India which had emerged the world over. This comes on the heels of Jaishankar being placed at the helm of the BJP’s outreach, aimed at spreading awareness regarding the Modi-led central government’s achievements over the last nine years, at four of Delhi’s seven Parliamentary constituencies.
The PM said: “… Jaishankar ji knows many internal things, he couldn’t say much because of paucity of time today, but if you sit with him sometime, you will get to know more because he has experience of around 50 years at dealing with external affairs.”
“… These days, he (Jaishankar) has witnessed a new side to (India’s image), and we too can see that comparison. This change brings strength to 140 crore of our citizens… and the respect that I have been bestowed with across the world is neither mine nor does Modi have any claim over it. This respect, 100% of it, is of the country’s citizens, it belongs to them,” Modi added.
Instructions from the national leadership to ensure a grand welcome for the PM were issued a day earlier to Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva during the middle of a press conference on the achievements of the Modi government’s nine years in office.
On Thursday, party sources claimed the BJP mobilised an estimated 10,000 supporters for the impromptu welcome. The gathering thronged the vicinity of the Palam airport technical area for kilometres, they said.
Jaishankar, BJP national president J P Nadda, Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi, Delhi BJP general secretary Harsh Malhotra, MPs Dr Harsh Vardhan and Hans Raj Hans were part of the programme along with Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Sachdeva. “Today, when the prime minister has returned to his country after visiting three countries, how he has promoted the image of India in the last five days makes us proud. I heartily congratulate and welcome the prime minister on behalf of all of you,” Nadda said.
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