Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to begin his near two-day meditation exercise at Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari from Thursday. He will end his whirlwind election campaign, which took him across the length and the breadth of the country, with a two-day meditation break.
All arrangements, including heavy security, are in place for Modi’s 45-hour stay at the mid-sea memorial. According to his office, Modi will arrive in Kanyakumari, he will then proceed to the Rock Memorial, where he will begin meditation from the evening of May 30 to the evening of June 1 at the same place where Swami Vivekanand sat, the Dhyan Mandapam.
Security has been beefed up ahead of Modi’s visit and 2000 police personnel will stand guard during his stay. The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy would also maintain a tight vigil. Tirunelveli range DIG Pravesh Kumar, accompanied by superintendent of police E Sundaravathanam, had inspected the security arrangements at the rock memorial, boat jetty, helipad and the state guest house here.
Modi had taken similar breaks at the end of the election campaign in 2014 when he visited Pratapgarh, where a battle was fought between the Maratha forces led by Shivaji and the Bijapur troops under General Afzal Khan; and in 2019 when he became the first person to meditate in a special cave in Kedarnath.
Since the beginning of the election campaign, Modi, who is the face of the BJP and the biggest crowd puller, has addressed over 110 election rallies.
As the meditation coincides with the silence period ahead of the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections on June 1, opposition Congress and DMK have expressed reservation and moved the Election Commission against it.
Congress alleged on Wednesday that Modi was trying to “circumvent” the silence period restrictions with his meditation and urged the Election Commission to ensure it is not aired by the media as it violates the model code of conduct.
A petition has also been filed by a local unit of the DMK with the District Collector, and District Election Officer against the PM’s event, citing the model code of conduct.