Modi next door, but kids see him only on television

 Their wish to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi in person remained unfulfilled for some residents of Valmiki Sadan colony on Friday.

The lockdown for Modi’s visit to the area to launch a cleanliness drive forced many of his admirers to see him only on TV, as they were not allowed to step out of their homes.“My wife and children could not see him because residents of the colony were not allowed to go out,” said Premlal Ganga Heri, who handed over the broom to the PM. “But I am happy that I got a chance to see him from close,” he added.

Like him, 90-year-old Naryana is also happy. He is proud to have met a special visitor to the colony for the second time in his lifetime. “I met Mahatma Gandhi when he came here before Independence and now I got a chance to be with the Prime Minister,” he said.

Geeta, another resident, said, “My children were crying to go out of the house as they were curious to see the buzz, but security personnel warned us to remain indoors and switch on the TV.”

“We were not allowed to see him even when he was leaving after the programme. I have seen Modi on TV on several occasions and this was perhaps the best chance to see him in person,” added Geeta. 

Modi spent an hour in the area near the Valmiki temple and during this period only a few residents, who had undergone intensive security checks and verification, were allowed to spend time with him.

“There also were a large number of New Delhi Municipal Council sanitation workers who competed among themselves to join Modi in sweeping,” said a witness.

Prabhakar, a resident and an undergraduate from Delhi University, said, “On Gandhi Jayanti we were confined to our houses and not allowed to see our own PM, I think it was against what Gandhi fought for.” It took almost an hour after Modi’s exit for things to return to normal at the now famous Valmiki Sadan.

“Our colony has now become famous,” said a resident who stepped out of his house after Modi’s departure and went to the spot where the Premier swept the road.