Modi turns 76: How BJP marks PM’s birthday with nationwide ‘Seva Diwas’, bike rallies, blood donation camps

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to organise various programmes across the country today to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday. Led by Modi, the BJP has been in power at the Centre since 2014.

Narendra Damodardas Modi was born in Gujarat's Vadnagar city into a middle-class Hindu family with no political background on 17 September, 1950. On June 9, 2024, Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive term, a feat achieved by only Jawaharlal Nehru before him.

Modi is the country’s longest-serving non-Congress Prime Minister. Modi, who started his political career as a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has been the face of landmark Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) victories in three past general elections.

To mark the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will flagg off a bike rally from Vadnagar in Gujarat to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be in UP and flag off a similar bike rally from Varanasi to Vadnagar, according to the BJP. While Vadnagar is the birthplace of Prime Minister Modi, Varanasi is his Lok Sabha constituency.

Blood donation camp in Delhi

In Delhi, BJP president Nitin Nabin will inaugurate a blood donation camp at the party headquarters on Thursday, with the party observing Modi's birthday as Sewa Diwas. He will then leave for Madhya Pradesh to participate in various programmes to be organised in Indore and Ujjain to mark the occasion.

A nationwide cleanliness campaign will also be organised to mark PM Modi's birthday, a BJP leader said.

Later in the evening, programmes will be organised at more than 700 locations across the country in which party leaders, workers and people of the respective areas will light the 'ashirvaad ka diya' for the prime minister's good health and long life, the party leader added.

"On the auspicious occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to observe 'Seva Diwas' across the country as part of a month-long 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' to be launched on Thursday," the BJP leader said.

"Under this campaign, various programmes will be organised across the country to mark PM Modi's birthday and his 25 glorious years of public service and dedication to the country," he added.

According to the BJP, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union minister Anupriya Patel, BJP Yuva Morcha president Hemang Joshi and others will be present in Vadnagar when Shah flags off a bike rally from Modi's birthplace to Varanasi, and launch a cleanliness drive on Thursday.

Shah will also participate in a "maha-aarti" to be organised on the banks of the Sharmishtha Lake in Vadnagar on Thursday morning.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Union minister and NDA ally Chirag Paswan and other Union ministers will be present when Rajnath Singh flags off a bike rally from Varanasi to Vadnagar on Thursday morning, a BJP leader said.

"Following a day of service activities, 'ashirwad ka diya' will be lit simultaneously at more than 500 prominent locations across the country in the evening to extend on behalf of the country's 140 crore people best wishes for PM Modi's long and successful life," he added.

Nabin will light the 'ashirvaad ka diya' at Ram Ghat in Ujjain on Thursday to mark Prime Minister Modi's birthday and his 25 years of dedicated public service.

Nabin, who will undertake a two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh, will also launch a "major" statewide public welfare campaign under the 'Swamitva Scheme' in Indore.

On Friday, the BJP chief will witness the sacred 'Bhasma Aarti' of Devadhidev Mahadev at Mahakaleshwar Temple and perform traditional puja, praying for the peace, prosperity and ultimate glory of the nation, according to the party.

(With agency inputs)