PM Modi walks on Rajpath, greets people

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a long walk on the Rajpath to greet the spectators after the Republic Day Parade on Friday.

Sporting a saffron, red and green coloured “safa”, Mr Modi waved at the crowd enthusiastically as he walked on the Rajpath with his security personnel trying to keep pace with him and his motorcade following.

Amid chants of “Modi, Modi”, the cheers grew louder as the PM went close to seating enclosures with the spectators waving back at him and jostling to get a glimpse of the Prime Minister. As Mr Modi waived  at the packed stands, thousands of people on both sides of the Rajpath, India’s ceremonial boulevard facing the seat of power on the Raisina Hill, braved the winter chill and cheered loudly at him.

Soon after the leaders of the 10 Asean nations left the high-security venue, Mr Modi started walking towards one of the enclosures.

Excited over Mr Modi’s gesture, many people along the stands of the majestic Rajpath were seen trying to capture the historic moment by taking selfies with the PM in their backdrop.

This was not the first occasion when Mr Modi went past the security cover to greet audience. Last year, after his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, Mr Modi had moved out of his security cordon to shake hands with children. The children had responded back to the PM’s ’s humble gesture by waiving hands and chanting “Modi, Modi”

Before the beginning of the ceremony marking the date when India’s Constitution came into force way back in 1950, Mr Modi, in presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, paid homage to the martyrs by laying a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti, the war memorial at India Gate where an eternal flame burns in memory of those who laid down their lives defending the frontiers of the nation. Later, he  reached the Rajpath to receive and greet President Ram Nath Kovind. In a tweet, he said, “Greetings on #RepublicDay. Jai Hind (sic).”