*Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his very first visit to Ladakh was attired in traditional Ladakhi dress—the colourful Ladakhi gown and cap with strip tied in the middle. His dress (excepting colour) almost resembled to first BJP MP from Ladakh Thupstan Chhewang, who was also at the dais.
*While at the end of his election rallies (before Lok Sabha elections), Modi used to raise thrice the slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ but during his address to troops at Leh Garrison, Modi shouted ‘Vande Mataram’ eight times. He raised ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ three times. The Army officers and jawans responded both the slogans very forcefully.
*At the end of his speech at Leh Garrison, Modi mixed up with the jawans and shook hands with them. The jawans responded with ‘Jai Hind’.
*Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, who was camping in Leh for last three days, received the Prime Minister and accompanied him to Leh Garrison along with GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen DS Hooda and GOC 14 Corps (headquartered at Leh) LT Gen BS Negi.
*Modi, however, changed his Leh attire and appeared in his normal dress—half coat and full sleeve ‘kurta pyjama’ at Kargil rally.
*Much to the surprise of many, there was huge applause of ‘Modi, Modi’ in Kargil rally of Modi repeatedly. Such applause used to be the main focus in election rallies of Modi before Lok Sabha elections.
*The political observers were surprised by huge crowd, which turned out at Leh and Kargil to listen to Modi, which even prompted the Prime Minister to acknowledge saying he would be the rare person to address such massive rallies at Leh and Kargil.
*In his typical style, Modi recalled famous ‘ghobi and aloo’ (cauliflower and potatoes) of Leh. “When I was working in Leh (as RSS and BJP worker), the people in New Delhi used to ask me to bring famous ‘ghobi and aloo’ of Leh on return. I still recall these two special vegetables of Leh and their demand in New Delhi and other parts of the country,’’ he said amidst huge applause and clapping from the crowd.
*At the start of his address in Leh, Modi described BJP Ladakh MP Thupstan Chhewang as very ‘Urjaawaan and Samaajsevi’ (energetic and social worker).
*Though the rallies at Leh and Kargil were apolitical and meant to dedicate power projects to Leh and Kargil and laying foundation stone of Srinagar-Leh transmission line, the political overtones in view of forthcoming Assembly elections in the State in November-December were very clear.
*Modi’s address that people of Ladakh have showered huge love on them and that he would return it with interest was a clear indication of BJP’s gratitude to the people for electing first ever MP from Ladakh. And, Modi’s assertion that the people of Leh and Kargil will continue to shower similar love on them was a direct pointer towards the Assembly elections, the political observers believed.
*Like July 5 meeting at Katra during inauguration of Katra railway line, there was very less or virtually no talk between Modi and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah though both were seated together in the rallies at Leh and Kargil barring few seconds’ exchange of smile between the two.
*MoS Power (Independent charge) Piyush Goel and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi were seen exchanging pleasantries and laughing for a while when Omar was addressing the gathering at Kargil.
*Parkash (light) dedicated to Leh and Kargil today in the form of two power projects will remove darkness of the two districts and generate jobs also, Modi said, adding Kutch desert in Gujarat was transformed with solar energy and added that there were similar plans for Ladakh. He said the light will remove smoke and pollution caused by diesel, which was used for generating power.
*The Prime Minister said he salutes nationalism and patriotism of the people of Leh and Kargil districts, which they had also displayed during 1999 Kargil war and various other occasions.
*Significantly, Modi’s speech at both places—Leh and Kargil lasted 25 minutes each.
*Modi compared Muslims of Kutch (Gujarat) with Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir saying both resembled to each other. “Today Kutch is largest developing region though the growth there was minus when earthquake struck the region in 2003,’’ he said.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel