Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly begun a 45-hour long meditation session at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister reportedly began his meditation at around 6.45 pm on Thursday.
According to India Today sources, PM Modi will be on a liquid diet and consume liquids such as coconut water, grape juice etc. He will also maintain silence during meditation and not leave the meditation hall.
PM Modi’s meditation at the memorial’s Dhyan Mandapam came at the end of his campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Interestingly, the meditation site is the same place where Swami Vivekananda meditated 131 years ago.
Security at the venue was stepped up ahead of Modi’s visit, with 2,000 police on duty during the day, and the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy maintained a heavy vigil.
Before leaving for the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the Prime Minister offered prayers at the Bhagavathi Amman temple. Before leaving on June 1, PM Modi is likely to visit the Thiruvalluvar statue next to the memorial.
The BJP on Wednesday alleged that PM Modi was trying to “circumvent” the silence period restrictions with his meditation trip to Kanniyakumari and asked the Election Commission to ensure that it is not covered in the media as it violates the Model Code of Conduct. A delegation led by BJP leaders Randeep Surjewala, Abhishek Singhvi and Syed Nasir Hussain met the Election Commission and submitted a memorandum on the matter, along with 27 other complaints of alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct.
“Through his meditation trip, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to circumvent the 48-hour silence period and undue use of the ethno-cultural significance of the chosen places to intensify his election campaign and maximise his vote share. This is in violation of the Representation of People Act and the Model Code of Conduct,” the party also said.The prime minister can begin his meditation after 24-48 hours, that is, from June 1 evening.
