Narendra Modi’s 70th birthday: How BJP is keeping it low-key with symbolic events

September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a special day for thousands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, leaders and supporters.

This time, as their 'beloved' leader turns 70, the celebrations will be low-key amid a raging COVID-19 pandemic in the country, and beyond, and the mandated health protocols.

The message from the top is to -- unlike the past -- avoid any major celebrations or gatherings. Instead, the party workers have instructions to focus more on social service-related activities as part of the week-long “Sewa Saptah” celebrations organised by the BJP in the past over the years since Modi became the Prime Minister.

Low-key affair

BJP sources said while there will be individual cake-cutting and other sweet-distribution events, the celebrations would largely comprise drives such as distributing pulse oximeters, masks and sanitisers while keeping the social distancing precautions in mind.

“There is a strict no to pomp and show. There will be distribution of masks and sanitisers. Blood donation drives will also be taken up,” said a BJP leader who did not want to be named.

This, and other plans, were discussed during a meeting of the party leaders chaired by BJP’s national president JP Nadda last month. Nadda is overseeing the week-long celebrations of PM Modi.

“Keeping the year (70) in mind we are doing 70 blood donation camps in 70 organisational mandals (divisions) of the party. There will be symbolism attached, if not celebrations that would be there in the past,” said another leader.

No Gujarat visit this time?

No official schedule of the PM's engagements on his birthday has been released yet. Last year, Modi had a packed schedule on his birthday and he spent most of his day in Gujarat, his home state. A year before, he was in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi to mark his birthday. This year, however, he is unlikely to visit Gujarat.

In 2019, BJP had observed the week from 14 to 20 September as service week in which leaders took up cleanliness drives. Home Minister Amit Shah, also the then BJP president, accompanied by party colleagues JP Nadda and others had, kicked off the week-long birthday celebrations by mopping the floor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). However, this year, Shah has been keeping unwell with post COVID-19 complications and has not been attending the Monsoon Session of the Parliament underway since September 14.

“PM Modi has devoted each moment of his life towards making India strong, safe and self-reliant. I am lucky to serve the nation under his leadership. I along with all countrymen wish for PM’s healthy and long life,” Amit Shah earlier tweeted in Hindi.

Polls in mind?

The celebrations will be symbolic, mostly. The party has chosen 70 handicapped people in each district with equipment such as wheelchairs. Also, 70 virtual rallies and plantations drives were held at 70 spots in every district.

"Since he (Modi) is turning 70, we have decided to work at 70 spots in every district for cleanliness, fruit distribution. We will visit hospitals and take care of the ill. There will be blood donation drives with a special focus on plasma donation," BJP chief, Nadda said while launching the week-long birthday campaign at Chhaprauli village near Noida on September 14.

The workers have also been told to take up a publicity drive with special focus on how the Prime Minister handled COVID-19 situation in the country and promotion of Atmanirbhar Bharat call for making India self-reliant as part of celebrations.

Publicity events like these, a leader said, will help the party to reach out to people, especially in poll bound states of Bihar and also Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh where by-elections are scheduled to be held soon. Sources said that similar social service events have been planned to celebrate birth anniversaries of party ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya (September 25) and Mahatma Gandhi (October 2) keeping the upcoming polls in mind.

Pan-India events

Different parts of the country will see different kinds of celebrations. Gujarat government is launching an interest-free loan scheme for women’s groups. The recently-elected state government of Madhya Pradesh launched an ‘Anna Utsav’ during which 37 lakh below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries will be covered under the government’s scheme to provide food grains to them on subsidised rates.

In Delhi, BJP chief Nadda will be part of a function to distribute pulse oximeters, wheelchairs, artificial limbs among needy besides distributing carts among the poor at a function in Model Town neighbourhood today. Former Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, MP from North East Delhi, distributed food packets and fruits at a function in Mukherjee Nagar and Timarpur areas of the Capital. Tiwari is also visiting a Hindu refugee camp in Majlis Park area to mark the day.

“Our president (BJP Delhi chief ) and two MPs (of Delhi) are COVID19 positive. Many members of our office also got infected. So we are being extra careful. We are mostly holding social service events,” said a BJP leader in Delhi.