BJP plans events to mark PM Narendra Modi’s 20 years in public life

The Narendra Modi government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are preparing to celebrate a milestone next month. On October 7, it will be 20 years since Modi took public office as the chief minister of Gujarat and to mark the occasion special events have been planned starting with his birthday on the 17th of this month and culminating on the anniversary day.

The drive has been named “Sewa Aur Samarpan Abhiyan”, which means a campaign in tribute to service and dedication. While the government’s information and broadcasting ministry held a meeting on Thursday on how to mark the occasion, the party wrote a letter to all office bearers to conduct activities to celebrate the feat “which very few leaders in a democracy have managed to obtain”.

“Since there is unique confluence of two important dates this year, the Honourable President of BJP Shri Jagat Prakash Naddaji has directed to observe these 20 days as Sewa Aur Samarpan Abhiyan. While the PM’s birthday reminds us of the importance of service, October 7 reminds us of the importance of complete dedication to our country and its people,” wrote the party’s national general secretary Arun Singh.

The BJP has appointed a four-member team led by Kailash Vijaywargiya to plan activities for party workers throughout the campaign. “Our focus will be to showcase the way Modi ji has worked to uplift the deprived sections of society. We will focus on his values of service and sacrifice,” Vijaywargiya said.

Another member Vinod Sonkar told HT that he was still in Tripura and would take a briefing on the activities on his return to Delhi. However, a senior official of the information and broadcasting ministry confirmed that the government was also planning events around both those dates.

“It is very early to talk about this,” said the official. “The idea is to pay tribute to Prime Minister Modi and to highlight his key moments from the way he transformed Gujarat to his role since 2014 when he came to the national stage.” Cabinet minister Anurag Thakur has asked ministry officials and those from Prasar Bharati to come up with ideas for the 20 days.

Meanwhile, the party has told all workers to host exhibitions on the PM’s life and achievements at every district office. The NaMo app will also be showing a virtual version of this exhibit while equipment and aid will be given to the disabled, ration bags to the poor and blood donation camps will be held to mark the campaign. Party workers have been told to encourage those who are NaMo fans “and looking for an opportunity to express affection” to be recruited for this campaign.

The letter said since the BJP has a presence across the country, workers should generate 50 million postcards from booths spread across the country. Workers have been encouraged to take care of Covid orphans and the party plans to auction any gifts that the PM receives, with funds to be directed to the Namami Gange project.

“Honourable PM in these 20 years has embodied the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabhka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas,” the letter said, urging workers to give testimonials of how this has changed people’s lives.

Asked for a comment, a PMO official said there was no plan finalised yet. However, the government’s publicity department had started preliminary work on this months ago. For instance, in a celebration of the PM, the campaign will focus on how the journey in 2001 was fraught with challenges as Modi had to handle the aftermath of the Bhuj earthquake. Despite that, officials say, he managed to create brands such as the Gujarat Model and Vibrant Gujarat.