It's a matter of pride for family: PM Narendra Modi's younger brother

GANDHINAGAR: While his proposers from Vadodara formed a part of the contingent from Gujarat that attended the swearing in ceremony of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his family chose to watch the ceremony on their television sets at home. In fact, the family had made it clear that they will not be attending the event earlier.

Speaking to ET on Sunday evening, Prime Minister’s younger brother Prahlad Modi had said that “the family has decided to watch the programme on television.” He, however, had said that he will be in Delhi on Monday for some personal work, but will not attend the event.

“I have to go there for some works relating to my ration shop in Delhi,” Prahlad told ET. “However, I’ll leave after my work and not attend the event,” he added. According to the family, Prime Minister’s mother Hiraba, who was earlier slated to attend the ceremony, could not do so owing to ill health. She too watched the event in Gandhinagar. Hiraba, stays with Pankaj Modi, the youngest brother of Narendra Modi. Pankaj is an employee in the Gujarat government.

Modi’s wife Jashodaben too watched the celebration on television in her house at Brahmanvada village in Mehsana district. Meanwhile the villagers in Vadnagar set up a large television screen to watch the event together. The proposers for Narendra Modi were also elated with the prospect of attending the function.

“With a lot of prayer and hope we had nominated him,” said Kiran Mahida, the tea vendor from Vadodara, who was one of the proposers for Narendra Modi. “From that day, it is a journey in dreams, a walk of pride,” Mahida had told ET.

“This was not mere symbolism, he remembered a small man like me even after winning the elections and invited me to attend swearing in. It will be the proudest moment of my life . This is more than a dream coming true,” he said.