How PM Modi's 2019 swearing-in ceremony was different from 2014

NEW DELHI: After capping a landslide election victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers took oath on Thursday at Rashtrapati Bhavan and the swearing-in ceremony which lasted about two hours.
A number of heads of state, heads of governments, constitutional authorities, diplomats, senior political leaders, government officials and media persons attended the ceremony.
We take a look at how this ceremony was different than the one held in 2014 when Modi took oath for his first term as the PM of the country.
* Number of guests: A highest ever 8,000 guests, including VVIPs, attended the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi and his council of ministers on Thursday. About 4,500-5,000 guests have attended such ceremonies earlier. Modi was sworn in by the then President Pranab Mukherjee in 2014 in the presence of over 3,500 guests.
In a grand ceremony with overtones of a US presidential inauguration, heads of state and government, India Inc honchos, opposition leaders, BJP members and showbiz stars rubbed shoulders as they watched President Ram Nath Kovind administer the oath of office to India's 58 new ministers.
Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen's speciality 'Dal Raisina' will be served to foreign delegates in a dinner to be hosted by President Kovind to dignitaries after the function.
* Foreign leaders at the ceremony: Leaders of member states of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Member countries of BIMSTEC include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand besides India. President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering attended the ceremony. From Thailand, its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach represented the country.
Kyrgyz President and current chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth also were present at the event.
In 2014 when Modi won his first term, all the SAARC leaders, including the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the swearing in as part of invitations extended to all the member countries of the south Asian grouping.
* No Pakistan at the function: The government in New Delhi invited leaders from BIMSTEC countries to PM Modi's inauguration, leaving out Pakistan, which is not a member of the regional grouping. In 2014 when Modi won his first term, all the SAARC leaders, including the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the swearing in as part of invitations extended to all the member countries of the south Asian grouping.
But relations with Pakistan soured mid-term and hit its nadir after the Pulwama attack in February which was followed by India's aerial strikes on terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan.
Pakistan, however, tried to downplay India's decision not to invite Imran Khan for Modi's swearing-in, claiming that the Indian Prime Minister's "internal politics" do not permit him to extend an invitation to his Pakistani counterpart.
* Cabinet strength: A total of 24 Union ministers took oath today along with PM Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 24 ministers of state and and 9 ministers of state (independent charge) were sworn in by the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, taking the strength of ministers to 57 compared to 46 in 2014.
In 2014, former President Pranab Mukherjee had administered oath of office and secrecy to Modi and his Cabinet ministers. A total of 46 minister had taken oath with Modi last time. While 24 people took oath as Cabinet ministers, 12 were sworn in as ministers of state and 10 as minister of state (independent).
* Timing of ceremony: The swearing-in ceremony started at 7pm today and lasted for about two hours. In 2014, the ceremony had started at 6pm. But this time, the timing was changed owing to the heat conditions in the national capital.
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References

1. ^{^} Narendra Modi (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
2. ^{^} swearing-in ceremony (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
3. ^{^} Ram Nath Kovind (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
4. ^{^} Pakistan (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

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