There are days when politicians cross boundaries and not swords. The Presidential address on Monday witnessed political leaders of all hues mixing and mingling with each other in the central hall, keeping the dust of elections behind them.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted his political adversary Rahul Gandhi warmly grabbing his hand, Congress president Sonia Gandhi
spoke intermittently with BJP patriarch lK Advani, sitting in the front row by her side.
The exchange of greetings between Modi and the Congress vice-president caught the attention of everybody as the two had engaged in a fierce verbal duel during the poll process. The Prime Minister was seen warmly grabbing Rahul’s hand and was reciprocated with almost equal warmth.
Modi greeted Rahul, who was seated in the eighth row along with senior Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Jairam Ramesh. Modi held Rahul’s hand bringing an instant smile on the Congress leader’s face.
For her part, Sonia greeted with thumping of desk as the President
outlined Government’s commitment of zero tolerance to violence against women and its promise to provide 33 per cent reservation for them in Parliament and State Assemblies.
While Modi walked in and out of the Central Hall, no one dared touch his feet in the backdrop of his displeasure against such “sycophancy” and advise to party’s lawmakers that they, instead, “work hard”.