Pranab da guided me like a guardian: Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi heaped praises on President Pranab Mukherjee, who completed four years in office today, calling him a "guardian and mentor" who held his finger and guided him on various subjects when he took over as prime minister two years ago.

"I was new to the world of Delhi. The atmosphere was new to me. On many subjects, the President, like a guardian, a mentor, held my finger and guided me. Very few people are as privileged as I am," he said while inaugurating the second phase of Rashtrapati Bhavan museum.

Lauding the initiatives taken to preserve history at Rashtrapati Bhavan and also its restoration, Modi said Mukherjee has given a lot to the nation in his long public life and also to the historic building during his four-year tenure.

He said Mukherjee made Rashtrapati Bhavan a converging point between a common man and highest seat of power.

"Important thing is my political background is different, President's political background is different but we can feel every moment in his company how people with different political upbringing can work shoulder to shoulder to in democracy," he said.

Modi also said effort is made almost all the schemes of his government are implemented in President's Estate, which he called a "village with a population of over 10,000", in miniature form even when some state governments feel hesitation to announce them.

"If there is government of a person of different political party yet the schemes of that government becoming schemes of Rashtrapati Bhavan, this greatness can only be shown by Pranab da," he said.