Bhogapuram Airport inauguration draws record Dhimsa dance, sparks cultural criticism and political credit fight

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh, on Saturday. The ceremony featured a mass performance of the tribal Dhimsa dance by more than 13,000 participants, setting a new Guinness World Record.

Retired IAS officer P. V. Ramesh condemned the use of the sacred Dhimsa ritual as a political spectacle, urging apologies from Modi, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and other officials, and calling for greater focus on tribal welfare.

State Infrastructure Minister B. C. Janardhan Reddy credited Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu with the airport’s realization, dismissed opposition YSRCP claims, and said the project will transform North Andhra’s socio‑economic landscape.