PM Modi's surprise boat ride on Hooghly; boatman gets warm hug

PM Narendra Modi took a surprise morning boat ride on the Hooghly River, paying boatman Gourango Biswas ₹1,000 and giving him a hug. He also took a walk, met locals, and later posted on X about the experience and his commitment to West Bengal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday started his day at the Hooghly River in Kolkata, where he took a boat ride and interacted with boatmen.

Locals recount surprise visit

The boatman, Gourango Biswas from Hooghly district, said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly came, rented the boat, and went for a ride." Biswas said the Prime Minister arrived at around 7 am. While there was limited interaction between them, Modi asked his name and gave him a warm hug after returning to the shore. He further said that the Prime Minister rode for around an hour, paid ₹1,000, and clicked pictures using his camera.

Another local, Mohmad Sheikh Iftekar, said the Prime Minister arrived at Panighat, took a morning walk, and then went for a boat ride. A total of seven boats were booked. After returning, he asked people to stay united and happy.

PM reflects on social media

In a post on X, PM Modi reminisced about being on the bridge during the roadshow from Howrah to Kolkata, as part of the election campaign for the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls. "Last evening, I was on the Howrah Bridge during the long roadshow from Howrah to Kolkata. And this morning, saw it from the Hooghly river!" PM wrote.

The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to Maa Gang as he started his day at the River Hooghly in Kolkata and met with the boatmen. In a post on X, the PM reflected on the significance of the holy river Ganga, stating that it flows through "the soul of Bengal." The PM expressed commitment to develop the state of West Bengal amid the election season. He shared pictures of himself in a boat sailing through the waters of the Hooghly.

"For every Bengali, the Ganga occupies a very special place. One can say that the Ganga flows through the soul of Bengal. Her divine waters carry the timeless spirit of an entire civilisation. This morning in Kolkata, I spent some time on the banks of the Hooghly River, an opportunity to express gratitude to Maa Ganga. Also had the opportunity to meet boatmen, whose hardworking nature is admirable, and morning walkers. On the Hooghly, reiterated our commitment to work towards the development of West Bengal and the prosperity of the great Bengali people," he wrote. (ANI)

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