PM Modi arrives in Kanyakumari, to embark on 45-hr ‘dhyan’ at Vivekananda Rock Memorial.

Modi will meditate till June 1 evening at Dhyan Mandapam, the place where Swami Vivekananda is believed to have had a divine vision about ‘Bharat Mata’. With the conclusion of the campaigning for the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Kanyakumari to meditate till June 1 at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. Upon his arrival, the prime minister first offered prayers at the Bhagavathy Amman Temple in the city. Modi will meditate from the evening of Thursday to the evening of June 1 at Dhyan Mandapam, the place where revered Hindu philosopher Swami Vivekananda is believed to have had a divine vision about ‘Bharat Mata’. Security has been beefed up ahead of Modi’s visit and 2000 police personnel will stand guard during his stay, even as the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy would also maintain tight vigil. The beach will be also out of bounds for tourists from Thursday to Saturday and private boats will not be allowed to ferry, according to PTI. Modi had taken similar breaks at the end of the election campaign in 2014 when he visited Pratapgarh, where a battle was fought between the Maratha forces led by Shivaji and the Bijapur troops under General Afzal Khan; and in 2019 when he became the first person to meditate in a special cave in Kedarnath. PM Modi’s visit to the Vivekananda Rock memorial has been opposed by the Congress. The party has alleged Modi was trying to “circumvent” the silence period restrictions with his 48-hour meditation trip in Kanyakumari and has urged the Election Commission to ensure it is not aired by the media as it violates the model code of conduct.It has also filed a formal complaint with the poll body. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, after a meeting of a Congress delegation with ECI officials, Modi’s meditation is a direct violation of the model code of conduct. “…You are either campaigning this way or publicising yourself through new channels and print media,” Singhvi said.”