Lamps were lit across the country on Thursday evening as BJP workers and leaders participated in the nationwide ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ programme organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday and 25 years in public life.
From Lucknow and Ujjain to Kolkata and Guwahati, BJP leaders and workers joined the programme by lighting diyas and holding events to mark the occasion.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also lit a lamp and prayed for Modi’s health and long life.
“Today, on the occasion of the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I lit a lamp and prayed to God for his excellent health and long life. May the resolve to develop India under his leadership grow even stronger—this is my heartfelt wish,” Singh said in a social media post.
He also urged people to light an “Aashirwad Ka Diya” for the prime minister’s health and longevity.
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the lamp-lighting programme at the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow.
“We are all gathered at Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow. This is a really important day. It is the birthday of the most popular leader in the world, PM Narendra Modi,” Adityanath said.
He said public representatives had gathered to join in the pledge for “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Uttar Pradesh, Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh”.
In Madhya Pradesh, celebrations were held on the banks of the Shipra River in Ujjain as part of the ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ event under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
An aarti was performed on the riverbank, while firecrackers and a light-and-sound show were also part of the celebrations. BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attended the event.
In West Bengal, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee said lamps were being lit across the state as well as the rest of the country. “There is lighting everywhere; across West Bengal and the entire country, people are lighting ‘Aashirwaad Ka Diya’ today,” she said.
Chatterjee said BJP workers had visited the homes of beneficiaries and conducted outreach programmes. According to her, programmes were being organised at the booth, household and district levels.
In Assam, the state BJP and Yuva Morcha lit diyas in Guwahati to celebrate Modi’s birthday.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav said 2,600 health camps had been organised across the state to mark Modi’s 76th birthday and 25 years of public service.
The camps were aimed at screening people for early detection of diseases, providing medical advice and treatment, and referring patients to larger hospitals where required.
“Recognising PM Modi’s 76th birthday and 25 years of public service, 2,600 health camps were started across the state,” Yadav said, adding that such camps would gradually be organised at all government hospitals.
