Modi, Obama to share ’Mann Ki Baat’

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jan 23, 2015, DHNS:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called upon citizens to tweet questions for him and American President Barack Obama so that they could reply when they would join each other on this month’s “Mann Ki Baat” programme of the All India Radio (AIR) on January 26.

 “This month’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ episode will be a special one, where our Republic Day guest President Barack Obama and I will share our thoughts together,” Modi tweeted early on Thursday.

The AIR started airing the “Maan Ki Baat” programme a few weeks after Modi was sworn in as the prime minister on May 26 last year. The prime minister has since been connecting with radio listeners across the country once every month, sharing his government’s achievements as well as his future plans and visions.

In a rare gesture, the prime minister invited the US president to join him on the programme during his visit to New Delhi. Obama was quick to accept the invitation. The US president is arriving in New Delhi on Sunday. He will attend the Republic Day ceremony as the chief guest on Monday. 

“I am eagerly looking forward to the special ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme with President Barack Obama, which will be aired on 27th January,” the prime minister said in one of his several tweets early on Thursday. Modi and Obama are likely to record the AIR programme on Monday.

“The Mann Ki Baat with President Barack Obama will not be complete without your participation! Send your Qs till the 25th, using #AskObamaModi,” the prime minister tweeted.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) created the new hash-tag #AskObamaModi for use of Twitterati to ask questions to him and the US president.

The PMO also created a special open forum for the occasion on MyGov website created by the Modi government to connect with citizens and to seek suggestions. AIR listeners could log in to MyGov website and pose questions for Modi and Obama using the open forum.

Obama is the first US president to attend the Republic Day ceremony of India as the chief guest. He is also the first US president to visit India twice during his tenure, having visited the country earlier in November 2010.