When Modi taught legislators the ‘etiquette’ of photography

Ranchi, Sep 12 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday turned teacher and guided state legislators on how to stand for group photographs.

The Prime Minister was seen in this role on Thursday at the inauguration of the state assembly building constructed here on 39 acres of land at a cost of Rs 465 crore. It has a sitting capacity of 162 legislators.

Modi inaugurated the new assembly building, which he inspected along with Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu, assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon and Chief Minister Raghubar Das.

After inspecting the main hall where legislators will sit, Modi, along with the Governor, the Speaker and the Chief Minister, began to prepare to pose for a group photograph with the legislators. At which point, the legislators, mostly from the ruling BJP, started jostling to get close to Modi.

Modi, at first, requested the legislators to spread out to enable taking of the group photograph. However, when the legislators failed to make way, Modi emerged from the crowd, signalling with his hands how the MLAS should spread out on both sides of him to enable the group photos, which was taken subsequently.

"It was a memorable moment for me. We should have spread out before Modiji did it. We will forever remember Modiji's initiative to make us stand in file so that group photographs could be clicked" said Foolchand Mandal, a BJP legislator to IANS.