Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Saturday hosted a lunch for journalists at the party headquarters in Delhi as ‘Diwali Milan’ celebrations. After a brief remarks from the podium, Modi stepped down and started shaking hands with journalists.
As the journos began jostling for selfies the PM did not disappoint them too. Modi spoke of non-discrimination and equality, and promised to work on consensus basis, in line with his party’s changed approach to the Opposition in Parliament.
“Celebrating a festival gives direction as well as strength to the society. I can’t imagine the number of stories that can be churned if we sit to analyse the impact of our festivals in our society. If you take the Kumbh Mela for example, a number of people come, it is like a nation has come, and assembles by the Ganga every day — that is (how many) people gather at the event. This signifies strength,” he said.
“The festival of lights (Deep Parva) is also a part of it. There is no discrimination in it. It also strengthens the value of equality,” PM Modi added.