BJP kicks off Modi’s birthday celebrations from Varanasi
FESTIVITY Leaders gave lectures on govt’s schemes and achievements in staterun schools
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) kicked off Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday celebrations with functions at schools in his Lok Sabha seat of Varanasi on Saturday.
Modi turns 67 on Sunday. Events were organised by party’s state unit at 129 state-run schools, adopted by the outfit, across the constituency where its leaders gave lectures on “public welfare schemes and achievements” of the Modi government besides distributing gift packs of sweets and stationary.
The leaders got students to pledge their commitments to cleanliness campaign — Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. A photograph of Modi was mandatory to be placed at the venue.
“It is for the first time when a top leader’s birthday is being linked to a cause as great as cleanliness. All of us have to adopt schools and organise awareness programmes there,” said Chandra Mohan, UP BJP spokesperson.
Elsewhere in the state, the party will hold celebrations at schools, especially those adopted by BJP leaders, on Monday.
“The party has decided to hold the events a day after since the birthday is on Sunday,” said BJP UP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak who will celebrate the day at a primary school he adopted in Azamgarh. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath would be in Varanasi on Sunday to launch cleanliness campaign on the occasion while deputy CMs Keshav Maurya Dinesh Sharma too would lead government celebrations in Bareilly and Jhansi.
In Madhya Pradesh, BJP MPs, MLAs and other leaders would organise ‘Swachta Rally’ with school students on Saturday. During the rally, BJP leaders and students will clean the roads with brooms. The leaders would also visit schools and inform the students about the schemes launched by Modi government.
“We will celebrate the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with school students. The students will be taught about the importance of cleanliness at their school,” said BJP MP from Bhopal Alok Sanjar.
While Modi will dedicate Sardar Sarovar Dam to the nation at Kevadia in Gujarat on his birthday, the Union government will observe the day as ‘Seva Diwas’ (Day of Service) which will mark activities including building twin pit toilets, ‘shramdaan’ or voluntary work, and sanitation drives.
In Chhattisgarh, Union minister, SmritI Irani will lead the birthday celebrations focussing on Swachta Rally and in Rajasthan, medical camps and plantation drives would mark Seva Diwas on Sunday.
HRD minister Prakash Javadekar will be in Maharashtra while minister of social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot will be in Rajasthan along with the chief minister Vasundhra Raje to lead the celebrations.