A boat owner in Bengal's Hooghly, whose boats were hired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the ghats, said that the PM gave him a message to “live together cordially.”
Mohammed Iftikhar Ahmed told ANI that the arrangements of seven boats were made at short notice. He said that a man who works near the ghats asked him for seven boats, without specifying the reason.
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“He said it was nothing major,” Iftikar said, and later came to know that PM Modi was supposed to arrive.
He said that after taking a morning walk, PM came to the ghat and took his boat. "The PM said to us that we all should live together cordially," the boat owner was quoted as saying.
Another boatman, Gourango Biswas from Hooghly, told ANI that PM suddenly came, rented the boat, and went for a ride. Biswas said the Prime Minister arrived at around 7 am.
While there was limited interaction between them, Modi asked his name and gave him a warm hug after returning to the shore. He further said that the Prime Minister rode for around an hour, paid ₹1,000, and clicked pictures using his camera.
{{/usCountry}}While there was limited interaction between them, Modi asked his name and gave him a warm hug after returning to the shore. He further said that the Prime Minister rode for around an hour, paid ₹1,000, and clicked pictures using his camera.
{{/usCountry}}On Friday morning, PM Modi posted an X post featuring him in a boat in Bengal's Hooghly River. Along with the photos he wrote, “This morning in Kolkata, I spent some time by the banks of the Hooghly River—as an opportunity to express my gratitude to Ma Ganga.”
He followed by posting a series of photos and videos of his time at the river. PM said that Ganga holds an "extremely special' place in the heart of every Bengali and reaffirmed his commitment towards the development of Bengal.
In the post, PM said that he also met the morning walkers and boatmen, applauding their “tireless hard work.”
His visit to Hooghly follows his roadshow from Howrah to Kolkata a day before. Prime Minister is actively campaigning for the BJP in the assembly elections, the first phase of which was held on Thursday.
The second round of the elections will be held on April 29, and the counting of votes will be on May 4.