Indian PM takes metro to attend Delhi University’s centenary celebrations

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled by public transport to attend a ceremony at Delhi University (DU) and images of him riding the metro went viral on Friday.  

The DU centenary celebrations were launched on May 1, 2022 to celebrate the varsity’s foundation day.   

Videos posted from the PM’s official Twitter account showed Modi onboard the metro, interacting casually with fellow passengers. He rode from Lok Kalyan Marg Metro Station, which is the nearest from his official residence, to Vishwa Vidyalaya Metro Station, where the DU is located.   

Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Twitter handle also posted a video of the PM using a smart card to enter the metro station amid tight security. 

Speaking at the DU’s Valedictory Ceremony, the PM shared his experience while traveling in the metro and the wide range of topics students engaged in. “Like students here, I traveled by metro today. Students have a lot to talk about. From discussing science topics to new series, they don’t leave [out - RT] any subjects,” the PM said. 

Media reports earlier suggested that attendance of the live telecast of the ceremony was made mandatory for students. However, the DU administration refuted the allegations, according to PTI news agency.

In his speech, the Indian leader noted the growing number of educational institutions in the country, emphasizing that Indian universities that featured in the latest QS global ranking have surged from 12 to 45 since 2014, when he became prime minister. 

Speaking about India’s plethora of technical institutes that have emerged as leaders in the country Modi stated, “In the last few years, the number of educational institutions like IIT, IIM, NIT, AIIMS are continuously increasing. These institutions are the building blocks of New India.”   

DU was founded in 1922 and has since expanded to 86 departments, 90 colleges and over 600,000 students. Congratulating Delhi University on its 100th anniversary, Modi said it is “not just a university, but a movement” as one of the oldest educational institutes in India “has lived every movement and has brought life to every movement."

The university has frequently been featured in the headlines in light of student protests. Earlier this year, DU students railed against a ban on screening a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots with dozens of students being detained on several occasions. The government has called it a piece of propaganda that reflects a colonial mindset.