New Delhi: When PM Narendra Modi turns 70 on 17 September, the BJP is planning to mark the occasion with initiatives such as drives for mask distribution, blood donation, and food-and-fruit distribution among the poor, ThePrint has learnt.
According to sources in the BJP, the ideas were among several suggestions that came up at a meeting between party general secretaries and president J.P. Nadda Tuesday. Other recommendations included a campaign to promote Atmanirbhar Bharat — the Modi government’s call to make India self-reliant — as part of Modi’s birthday week.
The ideas will be assessed and finalised by the party soon, said a party functionary.
“Mask distribution, blood donation camps are important suggestions keeping Covid-19 in mind. The activities will help the public, and will also spread the message of keeping ourselves safe,” said a senior leader.
A second senior leader said the PM is “an inspiration for the country and we want to use this opportunity to do some service for the nation”.
“A number of suggestions were given at the meeting, including mask distribution, keeping the coronavirus pandemic in mind, and fruit distribution among the poor,” the leader added. “All the suggestions are being looked at and will be finalised by the party president.”
The second leader said the BJP may centre its celebrations on the fact that Modi is turning 70.
“As the PM is turning 70, it was also suggested that this number could be kept in mind while carrying out certain activities such as organising blood camps at 70 different places, or 70 mandals will carry out one activity and others will focus on another area,” added the leader.
The party, BJP sources said, will carry out all these activities at the booth-level “while keeping social distancing in mind”.
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The meeting Tuesday also involved discussions on how to mark the upcoming birth anniversaries of Deen Dayal Upadhyay (25 September) and Mahatma Gandhi (2 October), the sources said.
“Self-reliance is a theme that connects all the three leaders, right from Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Gandhi to PM Modi. A campaign is being woven around this,” said a third leader.
Since all the three dates fall before the Bihar elections and the Madhya Pradesh by-polls — both of which are yet to be assigned final dates — the party will use the opportunity to showcase the welfare measures taken by the government amid the coronavirus pandemic, the leader added.
“This is also a good way to connect with the public and understand what they need.”
The party, sources said, is looking to form a committee that will oversee the work. The BJP will, at the national level, come out with a broad list of activities that can be taken up, but meetings will also take place at the state level for additional events, sources said.
Last year, the BJP had observed 14-20 September — Modi’s birthday week — as “Seva Saptah (service week)”, which saw several leaders undertake “swachhta” or cleanliness drives.
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