PM Modi visits mother's home, seeks blessings on birthday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 64 on Wednesday and kept with the tradition of meeting his mother to seek her blessings.

Modi, who is celebrating his first birthday after becoming the prime minister, went to Gandhinagar, 23 km from Ahmedabad, alone without any security to meet his mother Hiraben.

On the occasion, she donated Rs 5,000 for the prime minister’s relief fund for flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir, they said.

Hiraben 95, enquired about his health and work as prime minister and offered him sweets on the occasion. Modi spent 15 minutes with her.

Every year on his birthday, Modi has been taking her blessings. This is his first visit to the home state after becoming the PM almost four months ago.

Modi is in Gujarat to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping who will be arriving on Wednesday afternoon.

International and national leaders also greeted him on the occasion. The Chinese president was among those who wished the PM on the occasion.

Chinese Ambassador to India Le Yucheng met the PM at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar on Wednesday morning and conveyed the best wishes of the president and top Chinese leadership to him on the occasion.

The PM also received best wishes from his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, in a reflection of the special bonding the two PMs enjoy. Modi visited Japan only a fortnight back and the warmth between the two leaders was at display during that time.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari also called Modi to wish him.

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel ‘saluted’ the Prime Minister’s mother Hiraben. In a tweet, Patel said, “On the occasion of his b’day, I salute Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother Hiraben for giving us a nationalist son.”

Patel posted a photograph of Modi with his mother and also visited Rajbhavan in the morning to personally greet Modi on his birthday, an official said.

Patel also posted a photograph of Modi with her mother. She also visited Rajbhavan on Wednesday morning to personally greet Modi on his birthday, an official said.

A host of leaders from Tamil Nadu, including Governor K Rosaiah, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham chief M Karunanidhi, also greeted the Modi. In her greetings to Modi, Jayalalithaa said she prayed for many more years of good health for him to serve the nation. Karunanidhi greeted Modi on behalf of DMK, asking him to “accept my hearty wishes.”

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Tamil Nadu allies, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam also greeted Modi. Hailing Modi’s administration skills, DMDK founder and opposition leader in Tamil Nadu assembly, Vijayakanth said he prayed for long life for the Prime Minister.

In his greetings to Modi, MDMK founder Vaiko wished the “Goddess of nature to shower all her blessings to you for long long life to achieve success in all your endeavours (in) taking our country to great heights.”