Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his day with a boat ride on the Hooghly River in Kolkata, where he interacted briefly with local boatmen and urged people to live in harmony.
The visit comes amid his campaign for the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections.
Boat owner recounts unexpected request
Mohammed Iftikhar Ahmed, a local boat owner, said he was initially unaware that the Prime Minister would be using his boats.
“A man came and asked for seven boats at short notice. He said it was nothing major. Later, we came to know that the Prime Minister was coming,” he told reporters.
হুগলী তীরের আরো কিছু ছবি।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2026
এই পুণ্যতোয়া গঙ্গার ছবি তোলার একটু চেষ্টা করলাম। খুব কাছ থেকে বিদ্যাসাগর সেতু আর হাওড়া ব্রীজও দেখলাম। pic.twitter.com/sfDcbiMIkl
Ahmed said that after taking a morning walk near the ghats, Modi boarded one of his boats. “The PM said to us that we all should live together cordially,” he added.
“He came suddenly and went for a ride”
Another boatman, Gourango Biswas, described the visit as unexpected.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly came, rented the boat, and went for a ride,” he said, adding that Modi arrived around 7 am.
Biswas said the interaction was brief but memorable. “He asked my name and, after returning, gave me a warm hug,” he said.
According to him, the Prime Minister spent around an hour on the river, paid ₹1,000 for the ride, and also clicked photographs during the trip.
Modi shares photos, calls Ganga central to Bengal’s identity
Following the visit, Narendra Modi shared pictures and videos on social media, describing the experience as a moment of gratitude.
“This morning in Kolkata, I spent some time by the banks of the Hooghly River as an opportunity to express my gratitude to Ma Ganga,” he wrote.
He added that the Ganga holds an “extremely special” place in the hearts of Bengalis and said the river reflects the spirit of the region.
Visit linked to ongoing election campaign
The river visit followed a major roadshow by the Prime Minister from Howrah to Kolkata a day earlier as part of the election campaign.
He also mentioned seeing the iconic Howrah Bridge from both the road and the river within a span of hours.
During his interaction with locals, Modi praised the hard work of boatmen and morning walkers, and reiterated his government’s commitment to the development of West Bengal.
Polling for the next phase of the Assembly elections is scheduled for April 29, while counting of votes will take place on May 4.
