Modi to interact with students aboard Brahmaputra cruise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to participate in a 'Pariksha pe Charcha' programme, pay homage to martyrs of the Assam movement in Guwahati, and lay the foundation of an ammonia-urea complex in Namrup, during the second day of his two-day visit to the northeastern state on Sunday.

The PM is also slated to address a public rally in Namrup.

The day will begin with Modi interacting with 25 meritorious students of different schools during 'Pariksha pe Charcha' for around half-an-hour, while sailing on river Brahmaputra aboard cruise ship 'Charaideo', officials said.

Security has been beefed up along the river front and ferry services on the Brahmaputra suspended till 12 noon, they said.

After the cruise, he will visit the newly constructed 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra' in memory of 860 martyrs of the Assam movement, a six-year-long violent anti-foreigner agitation that began in 1979, and offer his tributes.

The PM will also visit the martyrs gallery, where the bust of the 860 people who lost their lives in the movement have been placed, and garland the statue of the first martyr Khargeswar Talukdar.

He will then leave for Dibrugarh and from there to Namrup, where he will conduct the 'Bhumi pujan' of the Rs 10,600 crore ammonia-urea fertiliser plant, which marks substantial impetus to the state's growth and development, the officials said.

Modi will address the public meeting at Namrup before leaving for New Delhi.

He began his two-visit to the state on Saturday by inaugurating the new terminal of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport, unveiling the 80-foot statue of the state's first chief minister after whom the airport is named, and addressing a public rally, where he set the tone for the assembly polls scheduled next year.

The PM also participated in a road show in the city.  -- PTI