Oath-taking ceremony to be all-faith affair
The oath-taking ceremony for Delhi’s new chief minister and the council of ministers will be an all-faith affair with leaders of national capital’s revered shrines to be invited.
Top sources in the Delhi BJP organisation said top representatives of 15 to 20 leading temples, mosques, gurdwaras and churches will be invited for the oath taking planned at Ramlila Maidan here on February 20.
“We are making sure all communities are represented. Resident Welfare Association presidents and leaders of market associations, school associations and even Kinnar (transgender) associations will also be invited. This will truly be a celebration of national unity,” a party source said.
The BJP, which returned to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years, is making preparations for the ceremony. Ramlila Maidan is being decked up for the event, which will also see the presence of the entire top BJP brass led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CMs of BJP-ruled states and NDA leaders.
The event scheduled to take place at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday will especially focus on the participation of all faiths and communities, showcasing the diversity of India’s Capital.
A source said: “The event will reflect the spirit of unity, with leaders from various religious and cultural backgrounds coming together to mark the occasion”.
The ceremony will begin at 10 am, with the Prime Minister expected to arrive around 11:30 am.
Sources said the event would last approximately 25 minutes and an estimated 1 lakh people are expected to attend.
Invitations have been extended to key religious figures, including heads of priests of top temples, maulvis of mosques, granthis of gurdwaras and fathers of churches as well as prominent members of these community.
In addition to religious leaders, representatives of state specific associations in Delhi will also be in attendance.
“We will see people from states like Uttarakhand and Bihar attending in their traditional attire. There will be dance performances representing different regions of India, making this an event rich in cultural diversity,” sources said. The event will feature three stages and more than 200 NDA MPs are expected to be present.
Invitations will also be extended to leaders from other political parties. Bollywood actors and influencers, including Akshay Kumar, also set to be invited.
The formal invitations, sources said, will be sent out on Wednesday.
In addition to the oath-taking preparations, a crucial legislators’ meeting is scheduled for Wednesday around 6 pm where BJP leaders will discuss and finalise the name of the Chief Minister for the new BJP-led Delhi government. The announcement of the new Chief Minister will follow shortly after.
Before the oath ceremony, a cultural programme, including a performance by Kailash Kher, will be held. Baba Ramdev, Swami Chidanand, diplomats, Delhi farmers, common citizens and beneficiaries of Central schemes will also be invited. BJP leaders and workers from other states, who campaigned in Delhi, will also attend the event.
The celebrations will include hospitality, with water and laddoos provided at every corner, ensuring that every attendee feels welcomed and comfortable, the source shared.
