Each line was soaked in Love: Manoj Muntashir recalls PM Modi's 17-page letter to his mother

New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) Noted lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir has shared a deeply emotional memory of recording a heartfelt letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the days following the passing of his mother, Heeraben Modi.

The 17-page letter, soaked in personal memories and gratitude, was penned by the Prime Minister as a tribute to his mother’s life and legacy.

In a post on social media platform X, Muntashir wrote:

“After his mother’s passing, PM @NarendraModi penned a 17-page letter for her. Every line was soaked in love, gratitude and memories. I got the opportunity to record them in my voice. While recording it, I was unable to hold back my tears.”

“That letter revealed how Hiraba was not just Narendra Modi's mother, but his guide, his strength, and his first teacher in life. What I thought would take only a few minutes stretched much longer. We had to pause after recording every two lines—the emotions were so overwhelming that my throat tightened with tears,” he added.

Muntashir’s emotional reflection comes amid political tension surrounding the Voter Adhikar Yatra held by the INDIA bloc in Bihar. During a rally in Darbhanga, controversial and allegedly abusive language was used against PM Modi’s late mother, prompting widespread condemnation.

Referring indirectly to that incident, Muntashir wrote:

"Any attempt to insult that sacred bond between a mother and son is sad beyond words."

Muntashir's X post accompanied a video shared by the social media handle 'Modi Story,' in which he recounts how he was asked to lend his voice to the letter.

“I received a phone call saying there was a letter that the Hon’ble Prime Minister had written for his late mother, and he wanted me to record it in my voice. I immediately agreed,” he said.

As he began recording, Muntashir said he was unprepared for the emotional weight of the words.

"I will never forget that moment. As I began recording that letter, seventeen pages long, I realized how deeply moving it was. If you take two minutes to read each page, that’s how emotional and heartfelt it was."

“It was seventeen pages long. Each word was filled with compassion. I could only read two or three lines at a time before being overcome with emotion. Hira Ben Ji was not my mother, but for the entire duration of recording that letter, it felt as though I had lost my own mother,” he added.

The letter, later published online, offered rare insight into the Prime Minister’s personal grief and the profound bond he shared with his mother.

Heeraben Modi passed away on December 30, 2022, at the age of 99, in Ahmedabad. She lived in Raysan village near Gandhinagar, and the Prime Minister was known to visit her frequently during his trips to Gujarat.

--IANS

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