New Delhi, Aug 1: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for choosing to forgive students who had used abusive language against him during the recent protests, describing his response as an example of statesmanship and compassionate leadership.

Party leaders also contrasted his reaction with the Indira Gandhi-led government’s response to protests by political parties. The leaders said that while Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency, PM Modi had chosen guidance over retaliation.

The remarks came a day after Prime Minister Modi released a video message on his official Instagram account, saying he simply wanted to speak directly to the country’s youth.

Referring to the recent protests at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leaks, he said that some “mischievous youngsters” had used language that was unbecoming of any civilised society.

He noted that not only was he targeted, but his late mother was also subjected to deeply appalling abuse. Acknowledging the strong public reaction, the Prime Minister said mistakes are part of childhood and that childhood itself provides the opportunity to correct those mistakes.

The Prime Minister made it clear that he wished to forgive them and hoped society would accept this sentiment, adding that he held only one feeling in his heart.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s message, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo told media, “It is truly remarkable. Our Prime Minister has an extraordinary heart. No one becomes Narendra Modi just like that. At Jantar Mantar, a section of the youth used abusive language even against his mother. They used all kinds of derogatory and offensive words against him personally.

“Yet, the Prime Minister released his video message and said, ‘They are children. It is their immaturity. They should not have used such language, but they are our children.’ The way he appealed to them, asking them to leave the path of abuse and contribute to nation-building, is something that no statesman can do.”

Drawing a comparison with the political past, Shahdeo added, “Similar protests happened during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as the Prime Minister; however, she responded with the Emergency. On the other hand, our Prime Minister has forgiven the students and shown them the right path. We are proud of him.”

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain also praised the Prime Minister’s remarks, saying, “The Prime Minister yesterday spoke not just as the Prime Minister, but as a guardian of the country’s children. He acted like a statesman and showed a large heart despite the fact that even his late mother was abused during the protest. The Prime Minister has forgiven the students who used derogatory language. There should not be any politics in this.”

Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi described the Prime Minister as a leader with an “exceptionally large and compassionate heart.”

“During the student protest, the entire country witnessed students using highly obscene and abusive language. It was made very clear that the remarks were not only directed at the Prime Minister but also at his late mother. The kind of obscene language used against the Prime Minister’s late mother was so offensive that it cannot even be repeated or heard in a civilised society. However, our Prime Minister has guided them to the right path and has forgiven them,” Saraogi told media.

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Prime Minister’s response conveyed a larger message about leadership and public conduct.

“This is a lesson and a message for everyone. On one side, there is the sensitivity of PM Narendra Modi, and on the other side, there is the feudal arrogance of certain people. Wherever there is sensitivity on one side, there is also such arrogance on the other,” Naqvi said.

He further alleged that the Prime Minister has consistently been the target of what he termed an “abuse gang.”

“PM Modi has been a target of this ‘abuse gang’ from the very beginning. This ‘abuse gang’ has repeatedly tried to use the shoulders of different sections of society — sometimes youth, sometimes farmers, sometimes women, and sometimes students — as a tool, carrying what they call criminal conspiracies, in an attempt to tarnish the country’s image and reputation,” Naqvi claimed.

Visakhapatnam, Aug 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, near here, on Saturday.

After landing at the runway of the Greenfield Airport, the Prime Minister inaugurated the passenger terminal building and undertook a walk-through along with Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu.

The top leadership of GMR Group and the Civil Aviation Minister explained the special features of the airport to the Prime Minister.

The terminal was decorated to showcase the culture, traditions, and arts of Andhra Pradesh.

PM Modi had a close look at large-scale Etikoppaka artwork displayed at the airport’s welcome gate.

When the PM stepped out of the airport and headed towards the venue of the public meeting on a special vehicle along with Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and others, tribal women performed the traditional ‘Dhimsa’ dance to welcome him.

According to officials, the ‘Dhimsa’ dance by 13,500 tribal women created a Guinness World Record.

The Prime Minister was seen clapping to appreciate the colourful and impressive dance performance by tribal women.

At the public meeting venue, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over ₹17,900 crore in Bhogapuram and address the gathering on the occasion.

Developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode at a cost of over ₹5,640 crore, the Greenfield airport has been designed to handle 6 million passengers annually.

The airport is expected to provide a significant boost to tourism, trade, investment and employment generation in Andhra Pradesh while strengthening air connectivity in the region.

The passenger terminal building has been designed to provide a modern, seamless and efficient travel experience.

The airport incorporates advanced infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies and sustainable features to enhance operational efficiency and meet future aviation requirements.

The airport has been equipped with advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Building Information Modelling (BIM), Airside 4.0 technologies, Airport Predictive Operations Centre (APOC), biometric passenger processing, automated baggage handling systems and intelligent operational monitoring solutions. These systems are expected to enhance operational efficiency, improve passenger convenience and safety, and optimise resource utilisation.

Patna, Aug 1: The Congress has launched a two-day fact-finding mission to investigate the police action during student protests linked to the recent NEET paper-leak controversy in Bihar.

The party has constituted six teams comprising MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and senior Congress leaders, which will visit Patna, Jehanabad, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Purnea and Siwan on August 1 and 2.

Madan Mohan Jha, the MLC and senior Congress leader of Bihar, told media that the objective of the exercise is to establish the facts surrounding the student protests, police action and the condition of students allegedly affected during the police action.

According to a letter issued by the party, the teams will meet the District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police in the respective districts and raise questions regarding the police action during the protests.

The teams will also meet students and youths who were arrested, detained or otherwise affected.

Wherever possible, they will meet students currently lodged in jail and speak to their families to understand the circumstances surrounding the incidents.

The Congress teams are also expected to visit the locations where police action took place.

“The fact-finding teams will collect available documentary and other evidence, including FIRs and case documents, medical reports, videos and photographs, statements from eyewitnesses, information from lawyers and civil society representatives, accounts of affected students and their families, and statements from public representatives and government officials,” Jha, who is part of a team visiting Darbhanga, said.

The teams will specifically examine allegations of excessive use of force by police, as well as claims that students were wrongfully implicated, arrested or harassed.

Jha said each team would prepare a detailed report covering the sequence of events, arrests and detentions, criminal cases registered, and allegations of police excesses.

The reports will also include medical and legal documents, eyewitness accounts and recommendations from the respective teams.

After the six district reports are completed, the Congress plans to prepare a consolidated Bihar Fact-Finding Report.

According to the party, the findings will subsequently be made public through press conferences in Patna and New Delhi.

The Congress has assigned specific district-wise responsibilities to different leaders, with the two-day exercise aimed at documenting the events surrounding the student protests and assessing the allegations made against the police.