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Narendra Modi sworn in as 15th Prime Minister of India
NEW DELHI: Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi, who led the BJP to an astounding victory in the Lok Sabha poll, was Monday evening sworn in as India's 15th Prime
Minister at a glittering ceremony attended by around 3,000 guests.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered by President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, with the setting sun serving as a backdrop to the momentous event attended by leaders from eight countries.
A Council of Ministers, numbering around 45, also took oath.
The Modi Government succeeds the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh whose UPA coalition government was in power for 10 years.
The ceremony was attended by outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress
president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, besides leaders of various other parties and Chief Ministers of a number of states..
South Asian leaders, who witnessed Modi's swearing-in at the majestic
Rashtrapati Bhawan, included Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa.
Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil
Koirala and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom were also
present at the ceremony.
Bangladesh was represented by Speaker Shirin Chaudhury as Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina was on a visit to Japan.
This is the first time that the heads of state and government of SAARC
nations were invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of an Indian
Prime Minister, a move which is seen by political observers here as a
significant initiative.
Besides the SAARC nations, Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam also
attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Sharif is accompanied by a delegation comprising his Advisor on National
Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi
and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry among others.
Modi will have "short duration bilateral meetings" with all
the SAARC leaders tomorrow.
It was the third time that swearing-in ceremony was held at the
forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Swearing-in of Chandrashekhar in 1990
and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 were held at the forecourt of
Rashtrapati Bhavan and saw an attendance of 1,200 to 1,300. — Agencies
Indian-Americans celebrate Modi's elevation as PM
Washington: The Indian-American community today greeted the elevation of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister with a series of celebrations across America and hoped that it would usher in a new era in India's development.
Celebrations took place in Silicon Valley, New York, New Jersey, Houston, Los Angeles and Tampa, during which supporters of Modi exuded confidence that India under his leadership would achieve a new height in development and would address issues of Indian-Americans.
During these meetings, people carried signs with slogans 'Rise Of India With NaMo', 'MODIfied India', 'Congrats BJP' and 'MODI and Idea of India' in support of the new Indian Prime Minister, who took the oath of office this evening.
At all these victory celebrations, organisers distributed sweets along with chai (tea) and snacks.
"I have witnessed the development and forward thinking ideas like daily garbage collection by truck. If Modi can accomplish even 1/10 of what he has promised, he would have achieved more than what Congress has in 60 years," said Gaurang Desai, from the Friends of India Society International (FISI).
"We technological professionals are very happy that a development-oriented leader like Modi got such a decisive mandate. He eradicated corrupt, dynastic, caste and appeasement-driven politics that was ruining India," said Khanderao Kand, founder-president, Global Indian Technology Professionals of India.
Suresh Patel, a founding member of the Gujarat Samaj, said this is a tremendous victory for the development of India.
"Such a Mandate can only mean that people of India raised themselves against caste, religion and regionalism and voted for development," he said.
Chandrakant Patel, president of the Overseas Friends of BJP, who spent several weeks in India campaigning for BJP candidates, said: "May 26 would usher in a new era in India's history." Chandru Bhambhra, the former OFBJP president, said Modi's vision and his power to execute ideas are amazing.
"He has developed Gujarat in past 12 years and taken it to enviable heights and people have Confidence & Faith in him that he will now develop India with the same zeal and take it to a very respectable level," he said. PTI
Freed Indian
prisoners handed over by Pak at Wagah border
Lahore: Pakistan on Monday handed over 150 Indian fishermen and another prisoner held for crossing the border to Indian authorities at the Wagah border in a goodwill gesture by Premier Nawaz Sharif who is in India to attend the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister.
Fifty nine prisoners were released from the district prison Malir in Karachi and 92 from the Nara prison in Hyderabad, officials said.
Out of the 151 people handed over to the Border Security Force at the Wagah border, 150 were fishermen and one was a prisoner in Karachi jail who inadvertently crossed into Pakistan from the Sindh border.
They were brought to the Wagah Border from Karachi by buses.
“After going through their papers they have been handed over to the Indian authorities,” a Rangers official told PTI.
Talking to reporters fisherman Dapu Teja said he learnt bead work in jail.
“I get Rs 60 per every piece I make and I know how to make bracelets, anklets, necklaces and key chains with beads,” he said.
Teja was on board a ship which allegedly crossed over into the Pakistani territory seven months ago.
He said there were seven people on the boat but only four were arrested by the Pakistan coastguards.
“They let the three older fishermen go back as they will have been a burden here due to their age,” he said.
Another fisherman named Nanji Soma said: “I am an illiterate man good enough to catch fish only but my son will not be one. He is 10 years old now and goes to school. In my absence the fishermen community back home contributed for my poor family to keep sending him to school.”
“Now I will go back and work again and also pay back my friends. I may get caught again as there are not clear boundaries marked in the sea to keep us from drifting into your country but it will not happen to my son,” he said.
Kamal Shah of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum has appealed to the Indian government to release the Pakistani fishermen locked up in Indian jails.
Sharif yesterday ordered the release of the 151 Indian prisoners and 57 boats, a day before his visit to India. — PTI
10 killed, 40 injured as bus falls into gorge near Shimla
Shimla: At least 10 persons, including eight women, were killed and 40 others injured when a Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus fell into a 150-foot gorge at Balghar near Theog, 35 kms from here, this evening.
The HRTC bus was on its way from Theog to Neri in Hamirpur and met with the accident within a few minutes after it left the Theog bus stand.
"Eight women and two children died on the spot and their bodies have been handed over to their relatives after on-the- spot post-mortem, while the injured have been rushed to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC)," Shimla Superintendent of Police Abhishek Dullar said.
The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained and police have registered a case and started investigations.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Urmila Singh and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh have expressed grief over the accident, and conveyed their condolences to the relatives of the victims.
Expressing grief over the accident, State Transport Minister G S Bali announced an immediate relief of Rs 2.50 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, and injured persons.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes, who is also the local MLA, has expressed grief over the accident.
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the mishap. PTI
40 feared dead in UP train accident; Modi offers condolences
Sant Kabir Nagar (UP):
At least 40 passengers were today feared killed and over 100 injured as the Gorakhdham
Express rammed into a stationary freight train in the district.
The incident occurred this morning when the express train came on the
same track as the freight train near Chureb Railway Station, District
Magistrate Bharat Lal said.
However, NE Railway's CPRO Alok Singh said the accident was caused due
to derailment.
Officials in the Railway Board said the mishap occurred due to
derailment of the express train.
They said six coaches of the train then rammed into a stationary goods
train standing on the adjoining track at the station.
Out of the six coaches, four were general coaches and two were AC coach
— AC first class and AC two tier.
The Railways has ordered an inquiry into the mishap by Commissioner
Railway Safety (Northeast circle) P.K. Bajpayee.
They have also ordered a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the family of
those killed and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured.
A sum of Rs 10,000 will be given to those who sustained simple injuries.
Medical teams have rushed to the spot.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi today offered
condolences to families of those killed in Gorakhdham Express tragedy
and prayed for the well-being of those injured.
Modi spoke to Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth and asked him to take an
overview of the situation to ensure timely assistance to the injured.
"My condolences to families of those who lost their lives in the
Gorakhdham Express tragedy. Prayers with the injured," Modi
tweeted. — Agencies
SC stays assets case trial against Jayalalithaa
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed for 10 days, the ongoing trial in a disproportionate assets case before a Bangalore court against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.
Jayalalithaa.
A Bench comprising justices B.S. Chauhan and A.K. Sikri, however, said the civil proceedings pending before the same trial court in
Bangalore, will go on.
The civil proceedings relate to the plea of various companies alleging that some of the properties, shown as part of the disproportionate assets of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, actually belonged to them.
“We are keeping at abeyance the trial in the criminal proceedings for 10 days. However, it is made clear that the civil proceedings will go on,” the
Bench said and fixed the petition for further hearing on June 6.
The bench also issued notice to the Director General Vigilance on the petition filed by AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa.
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the petitioner, said that grave prejudice would be caused if the criminal trial is not stayed.
The apex court had on May 13 said it was not inclined to stay the trial in the Bangalore court in the DA case against Jayalalithaa and others.
It, however, had allowed the Chief Minister to withdraw the plea and move the Karnataka High Court.
The Chief Minister had sought a stay on the trial till the lower court decides the plea of Lex Property Development (P) Ltd, a Chennai-based firm.
The company has claimed that the properties, which have been attached by the authorities as ‘benami’ holdings of Jayalalithaa, in fact, belonged to it and said this plea be decided first before the lower court proceeds with the trial in the assets case.
The court had allowed the company, which has separately challenged the attachment of properties, to cross examine the witnesses who may file certain documents.
The disproportionate assets case was shifted to Bangalore in 2003 following a Supreme Court directive on a petition alleging that a fair trial was not possible in Chennai during her tenure as Chief Minister then.
Jayalalithaa faces charges of accumulation of over Rs 66 crore worth of assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.
Besides Jayalalithaa, V.K. Sasikala, V.N. Sudhakaran and J. Illavarasi are also facing trial in the case. — PTI
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