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I am one of you, Modi tells Ramakrishna Mission monks
Kolkata, May 9
Displaying his deep reverence
for the Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) monks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
Saturday initially declined to even accept a flower bouquet when he
went to see the order's president Swami Atmasthananda at a hospital
here.
The monks were bowled over as Modi said he was one of them and needed no special treatment.
According
to Swami Guneswarananda Maharaj, in-charge of maintenance at the RKM
Seva Pratisthan, a charitable hospital run by the order, Modi wanted
their blessings instead.
However, he received the floral offering when the monks insisted it was for the Indian prime minister.
"He
accepted the flower bouquet only when we said it is meant for the prime
minister of India," said the monk, who turned emotional while narrating
the moments to IANS.
He said patients admitted in the hospital
were keen to meet the Indian prime minister, but their request couldn't
be fulfilled due to security reasons.
Modi wanted to join the
order of RKM during his youth and had approached Atmasthananda, who then
was posted in Gujarat, but was turned away with suggestion for an
alternate career.