PM Modi recalls 2001 Banaskantha rally, says village-style ‘Khatla Sabha’ may have set world record

Bhildi, Oct 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday recalled his first major public programme as Gujarat Chief Minister in Banaskantha in 2001 and said the district had once hosted a gathering of three lakh people, as he addressed a large ‘Khatla Sabha’, where people sat on traditional village cots.

Addressing the gathering in Bhildi, PM Modi drew attention to the unusual seating arrangement, saying the revival of the traditional village practice had made the event distinctive.

He suggested that the gathering could have found a place in the Guinness World Records had the organisers approached the record-keeping organisation in advance.

“Perhaps the people of the world would be surprised to see that everyone in this gathering is sitting on charpoys. Banaskantha has kept this great tradition of our villages alive today,” he said.

The Prime Minister also linked the visit to the completion of 25 years of his public service, recalling that his first major public programme after becoming Gujarat Chief Minister in 2001 had been held in the same region.

He said the programme, a Lok Kalyan Mela, had attracted around three lakh people and expressed the belief that the record had not been broken since. “Where I began my journey, I have got an opportunity today to give an account of 25 years of service,” PM Modi said.

He also recalled his association with Gujarat and said his first visit to Banaskantha after completing 25 years in public life had coincided with the current programme.

Beginning his address with greetings to the gathering, PM Modi acknowledged that farmers from every district of the country and every village of Gujarat were connected to the event through technology.

He also welcomed the chief minister and ministers who were participating in the programme. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary were among those present.

PM Modi said he had initially planned to address the gathering in Gujarati but switched to Hindi because people from across the country were connected to the programme.

He sought the audience’s permission before continuing in Hindi. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to Maa Amba, describing the occasion as an opportunity to visit the sacred land associated with the goddess during the auspicious period of Navratri.

Earlier in the programme, he launched and dedicated several projects relating to women, children, farmers and livestock owners, besides releasing the latest instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme.

–IANS

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