A steady stream of 'sisters' kept Prime Minister Narendra Modi busy on Raksha Bandhan day on Monday.
From school-going tiny tots to a centenarian to the widows of Vrindavan, the Prime Minister's residence lok Kalyan Marg had them all. He also received wishes from his Rakhi sister, who lives in Gujarat but is originally from Pakistan.
Most notable among them was 103-year-old Sharbati Devi, who was elated to tie Rakhi on the PM's wrist. “Sharbati Devi was extremely happy and delighted to meet the PM and tie Rakhi. They had a wonderful interaction today,” the PMO tweeted sharing pictures of their meeting.
It so transpired that her son had written a letter to Prime Minister Modi expressing his mother's desire to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with him as she had lost her brother 50 years ago and whom she misses dearly. This led the PM inviting Devi and her family to his residence.
The widows from Vrindavan brought 1500 handmade-Rakhis with a smiling photo of Modi in the centre.
Delegation from Brahma Kumaris and Deaf and Dumb Women Society office bearers led by New Delhi MP Meenakshi lekhi also tied Rakhi to Prime Minister.
Since Modi does not have a biological sister, he has been celebrating Raksha Bandan for several years by inviting little girls for the occasion. This year was no different, as the tiny tots, some in school uniforms and some not, tied the sacred thread to his wrists.
Interestingly, the PM has a Rakhi sister from Pakistan named Qamar Mohsin Shaikh. She told a news agency that she has been tying Rakhi to the Prime Minister for the “last 22-23 years”. She said that her first Rakshan Bandhan with Prime Minister Modi was when he was a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker. “When I first tied rakhi to Narendra bhai, he was a karyakarta but with his sheer hardwork and vision he has become the PM,” she told ANI.