New Delhi, 14 April (H.S.):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge were seen exchanging smiles and a brief handshake at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament complex on Tuesday, in a rare moment of warmth during the Ambedkar Jayanti tribute ceremony. The interaction came as leaders from across the political spectrum gathered to pay floral tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on his 135th birth anniversary.

PM Modi first met Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla before approaching Kharge, where the two leaders spoke briefly and laughed together. The exchange stood out as a small but notable gesture of civility amid an otherwise politically charged atmosphere.

The Prime Minister later wrote on X that Ambedkar’s work for nation-building continues to inspire generations, while Kharge described Babasaheb as the visionary who gave India its “moral and Constitutional soul.” Other senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, also marked the occasion with tributes to Ambedkar’s legacy and constitutional ideals.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar