PM Modi’s Ambaji temple visit deferred amid massive devotee rush

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ahmedabad from Karnataka’s Mysuru on Friday evening as part of his two-day visit to Karnataka and Gujarat on November 13 and 14. He was received at the airport by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel before proceeding to Lok Bhavan in Gandhinagar, where he stayed overnight.
Welcoming the Prime Minister, Governor Devvrat praised his leadership, commitment to national development and vision of building a developed and self-reliant India by 2047. In a social media post, he said Modi’s leadership continued to inspire people across the country and had significantly enhanced India's global standing. He also highlighted Gujarat’s development, stating that the state had emerged as a growth engine of the country, setting new benchmarks in natural farming, industrial growth and public welfare.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Gujarat’s Council of Ministers at Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s residence in Gandhinagar on Friday evening. Following the meeting, the Prime Minister had dinner with the ministers to mark the Gujarati New Year.
Meanwhile, Modi’s scheduled visit to the Ambaji Temple in Banaskantha district on Saturday, coinciding with Labh Pancham, has been postponed in view of the exceptionally heavy turnout of devotees during the festive season.According to state authorities, more than 2.5 lakh devotees are visiting the shrine daily, with the number expected to cross five lakh on Saturday. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the decision to reschedule the visit was taken to prevent inconvenience to devotees and ensure that their darshan was not affected by security arrangements for the Prime Minister.
He added that PM Modi would visit the temple on another occasion to seek the blessings of Maa Amba. Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankarbhai Chaudhary also thanked the Prime Minister for prioritising the convenience of devotees.The Ambaji Temple is among the 51 revered Shakti Peeths and attracts thousands of devotees from Gujarat and neighbouring states, particularly during major religious occasions.The Prime Minister’s Gujarat visit follows his engagements in Karnataka on Friday, including the golden jubilee celebrations of Prashanti Kutiram, the inauguration of Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line and the launch of development projects worth more than Rs 15,600 crore in Bengaluru, besides other programmes in Mysuru.

(State Correspondent)