Workers give finishing touches to Modi’s inauguration venue

Miniature artist Harwinder Singh Gill puts on display his creation of an oversized tea cup with a picture of prime minister-designate Narendra Maodi and the date 26 May, in Amritsar yesterday. Gill says he has used 550 tea cups for the work and he wants to congratulate Modi who will be sworn in tomorrow. Singh said he used the tea cups since Modi, as a young boy used to help his father sell at a small railway station in Gujarat.IANS/New DelhiThe electricians were busy connecting the wires of dozens of pedestal fans and desert coolers while a group of labourers unloaded rolls of red carpets from a waiting tempo.Meanwhile municipality vans criss-crossed all of them, busy fumigating the sprawling forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan - the venue for prime minister- designate Narendra Modi’s oath taking ceremony tomorrow.Dozens of workers were yesterday toiling tirelessly to put finishing touches to the venue as arrangements were being made to receive around 3,000 guests who include the leaders of seven South Asian nations including Pakistan and Mauritius. The seating arrangement in the middle of the red sand-covered rectangular ground is semi-circular facing the square-shaped dais, which has a white base and maroon-coloured borders. The stage stood at a height of about 1ft and has the magnificent edifice of the presidential palace as a backdrop.A huge media stand has been set up to the right of the stage, covered in a green carpet.In the lawns behind the forecourt, several tents have been put up as that is where the dignitaries would be treated to a vegetarian high tea.Being a high profile event, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has stationed mini vans to fumigate the whole premises after regular intervals to tackle the threat of dengue.Modi, who will be sworn in as India’s 14th prime minister, will be the third premier to take oath in the expansive forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.The list of high-profile dignitaries includes Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Maldives President Abdulla Yameen, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Bangladesh parliament speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam is also attending the ceremony. It is the first time in India’s history that leaders from neighbouring countries have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of a prime minister.Around 18mn deaf citizens will be able to follow all details of the ceremony with sign language interpretation facilities.Three sign language interpreters would be on duty to ensure that the oath-taking and other ceremonies are made available to deaf citizens of India, the Disabled Rights Group (DRG) said in a statement.“This is a historic first. It has been a long-standing demand on the part of the Indian disability movement that at all important public events, sign language interpretation should be made available so that deaf people are not left out and that the event is made accessible for them as well,” said DRG convener Javed Abidi.Anuj Jain of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) said a delegation yesterday called upon Bharatiya Janata Party chief Rajnath Singh and expressed the wish, which was immediately accepted. Meanwhile, an “impregnable” air defence system in the sky and about 6,000 security personnel, from paramilitary commandos to police sharpshooters, on the ground will be deployed to guard the heads of state and government at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Pranab Mukherjee will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Modi. The 6,000 security personnel will cover a 2km periphery around the presidential palace. They will be drawn from the Delhi police, paramilitary forces, the National Security Guard (NSG) and armed forces.The security unit of Delhi police and the prime minister’s security unit have drawn out a multi-layered plan to provide ground-to-air security. The police will be in charge of the security of the hotels where the dignitaries, including from Pakistan and Sri Lanka, will be staying, as well as their travel routes.The Indian Air Force (IAF) will put in place a defence system to secure the skies, including air surveillance. Snipers, including NSG sharpshooters with anti-aircraft guns, will be deployed on the top of all high-rise buildings around the area. Page 25Indian Muslims welcome invitation to SharifPrime minister-designate Narendra Modi’s gesture of inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony has raised hopes of a long-lasting peace between the arch rivals among Muslims of this country.In direct contrast to his election pitch - where he spoke of a toughened stand against Pakistan - Modi, by this single gesture, has given a delightfully unexpected turn to the diplomatic course in the region. As much as the gesture stunned the leadership across the border, it has aroused hope among the people in India and Indian Muslims especially.Muslims in India, the nation’s largest minority, comprise 14% of its 1.2bn people, and are the world’s third largest Muslim population after Indonesia and Pakistan. “It’s a very good step by Mr Modi. Although we can’t expect all the festering wounds to heal overnight, let me concede a very positive start has been made. We now hope that the issues between the two would also be solved in the near future,” Maulana Jalaluddin Umari, president of the Jamat-e-Islami Hind said. Equally upbeat is SQR Ilyas, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. “It’s a very happy start to a new innings. The step is likely to improve relations. It reminds us of Atal Behari Vajpayee’s era when much headway was made in diplomacy with Pakistan,” said Ilyas.“Poor relations with Pakistan are in no one’s interest. Both countries end up spending more than they normally should on defence, ruin bilateral trade and ultimately the common man suffers,” Ilyas said.The invitation has allayed fears, at least for now, that relations with Pakistan may deteriorate under the Modi regime. “Only communication can bridge the gap. The invite is a very good step, whatever the fear mongers may try to portray it as. Now, Pakistan should address India’s concerns and a healthy relationship should develop that promotes regional peace,” said Kamal Farooqi, a prominent Muslim voice and former chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission.The incumbent chairman of the Commission, Safdar H Khan, too sees the development as a welcome change. “Both countries would benefit if good relations are maintained,” Khan said.