KANNIYAKUMARI/CHENNAI: After an intense and prolonged campaign for the Lok Sabha elections and ahead of the results, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will delve deep into meditation at the ‘dhyana mandapam’ of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial located on a rock around 400 metres off the Kanniyakumari coast for over 45 hours (May 30 evening to June 1 evening).
The rock is surrounded by the Laccadive Sea where the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea meet.
Sources said that PM will meditate day and night at the same spot where Swami Vivekananda is believed to have meditated decades ago.
PM’s core security team reaches Kanniyakumari
The PM expected to start his meditation on the evening of May 30 and conclude it on June 1 evening.
The PM is known to undertake spiritual journeys at the end of election campaigns. In 2019, he had visited Kedarnath and in 2014 he had visited Pratapgarh, where a battle was fought between the Maratha forces led by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Bijapur troops under general Afzal Khan.
In view of the PM’s visit, security has been beefed up in and around Kanniyakumari. According to his tentative tour programme, the PM would leave from Thiruvananthapuram airport on May 30 (Thursday) at 3.55pm in a helicopter and arrive at Kanniyakumari helipad at 4.35 pm. He would then spend around 30 minutes at the state guest house near the helipad.
He would then reach the boat jetty by road and depart on a boat to Vivekandand Rock where he would reach at 5.40 pm. The PM would stay there till June 1 (Saturday) 3pm. He would then return by boat to the jetty and reach the helipad by road. At 3.25, he would leave for Thiruvananthapuram airport in a helicopter.
On Tuesday, Tirunelveli DIG Pravesh Kumar along with SP E Sundaravathanam inspected the security arrangements at the Vivekananda Memorial Rock, boat jetty, helipad, and the state guest house in Kanniyakumari. A meeting of officials of all departments including health was conducted at the Vivekananda Kendra premises regarding arrangements for the PM’s visit.
The PM’s core security team has also reached the spot. Trial landing of helicopter was conducted at the helipad. Police sources said 2,000 police personnel would be deployed in and around Kanniyakumari. As the PM would stay in the rock memorial for 45 hours, coastal security group, Indian Coast Guard (ICG), and Indian Navy would bolster marine security in Kanniyakumari.
During the PM’s stay, ICG and Indian Navy ships would be stationed in Kanniyakumari sea. Sources said the PM would use Poompuhar Shipping Corporation’s Kanniyakumari ferry service boat to travel to the rock memorial, and three boats are being readied for the trip. The Special Protection Group would take a call on all the arrangements.
BJP sources said party functionaries were asked to come only to Kanniyakumari helipad for greeting the PM. All the other programmes would be handled by the PM’s security detail.
Shah in TN on May 30
BJP sources said Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Pudukkottai on May 30. Shah is likely to have darshan at Kottai Bhairavar, Shiva and Perumal temples in Thirumayam