PM greets Col Qureshi’s family during roadshow

Vadodara: During his roadshow through the city, titled Sindoor Samman Yatra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the family of Col Sofiya Qureshi, who was among the faces of the govt briefings during Operation Sindoor. Her family was given space on a stage along the roadshow route and showered flowers on the PM when he drew near. The Qureshi family — Sofiya's parents, brother and sister — were given seats on the stage on the route of the roadshow. When Modi's motorcade got near the stage, it slowed down and Modi's SUV drove near to the stage, much to the surprise of the family. "We only knew that we would be given space on the stage and were invited to the roadshow. Officials of the district collectorate informed us about the arrangements and Vadodara Municipal Corporation officials gave us feelers about this," said Sofiya's brother, Mohammed Sanjay Qureshi. When the PM got close to the stage, the family showered rose petals on him. Modi greeted them with a ‘namaste' by folding his hands and asked about their well-being with gestures. He then gave them a thumbs up before moving on. Sanjay said they were surprised and proud of the interaction. "It is like a dream come true. It was also nice to see that a large majority of the crowd were women, with hardly any men there. We will remember this for a lifetime," he added. Sofiya's twin sister, Shyna Sunsara, told mediapersons that the family felt honoured. She added that Sofiya was not merely her sister but the sister of the nation. "She is an inspiration not only for us but for others too," she said. The PM began his two-day visit to the state from Vadodara. This was his first visit to the state after Operation Sindoor. The roadshow began at the exit of the airport and culminated at the Indian Air Force station entrance on New VIP Road.Throughout the roadshow route, people waved the tricolour and shouted slogans. Modi stood out of the door of his car and waved to the crowd. Foreign students from various countries were also present. Patriotic songs were played throughout the route. Cutouts of the Rafale and Tejas fighter jets, as well as the BrahMos missile, were also displayed.