BJP rolls out fortnight of service: Exhibition on Modi’s journey, blood donation camps mark PM’s birthday
Titled ‘Kahani Bharat maa ke sachchey sapoot ki’, the exhibition featured 75 boards based on Modi’s life and achievements – right from his childhood, to a young Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker, a BJP leader, the chief minister of Gujarat and to becoming the Prime Minister of the country.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak at the inauguration of the photo exhibition in Lucknow on Saturday. (Express Photo)
The BJP’s ‘Gujarat model’ which it had popularised as part of its poll pitch for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when it had fielded Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate and the transformation of Varanasi after he was elected MP from the constituency were among the key themes featured in a photo exhibition that kicked off in Lucknow on Saturday to mark the 72nd birthday of the Prime Minister.
Organised at the Saturn Hall of Indira Gandhi Pratishthan by the Uttar Pradesh Information and Public Relations Department, the six-day exhibition was inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and, other top government officials were also present at the event. The exhibition was opened for the public after the hour-long inauguration ceremony.
You have exhausted your monthly limit of free stories.
Read more stories for free with an Express account.
Titled ‘Kahani Bharat maa ke sachchey sapoot ki’, the exhibition featured 75 boards based on Modi’s life and achievements – right from his childhood, to a young Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker, a BJP leader, the chief minister of Gujarat and to becoming the Prime Minister of the country.
A group of 10 boards in the exhibition were inspired by the ‘Gujarat Model’ that was a key pillar of the BJP’s election pitch for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The cut-outs showcase Modi’s achievements as a chief minister – be it helping the state recover from the devastating effects of the 2001 earthquake, or helping it draw global investment, developmental projects like Sabarmati Riverfront, Sardar Sarovar Dam or launching welfare programmes like ‘Kanya Kelavani’ and ‘Shala Praveshotsav’ for girl students in the state.
Assembly elections are due in Gujarat later this year and there is a sizable population of voters from the state who have settled in Uttar Pradesh.
Hailing PM Modi as the ‘Rescuer-in-chief’, the exhibits also highlighted the number of Indians rescued from countries like Ukraine, Iraq-Syria, Libya, Nepal, Yemen and Afghanistan in various evacuation missions since 2014.
Another exhibit was based on Ayodhya’s Ram Temple and talked about the progress of the under-construction structure. The boards on ‘Kashi ka Kayakalp’ (Kashi’s makeover) mapped how Varanasi has changed after Modi was elected as an MP from the constituency. The other exhibits shed light on the key decisions taken by the Modi government after coming to power to boost health, infrastructure, economy, agriculture and, the welfare of deprived sections and Schedule Tribes.
Speaking at the inauguration of the exhibition, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that India was the only country in the world during the coronavirus pandemic that “did not give freebies but helped 80 crore people with free ration.”
Story continues below this ad
“India was the only country which did not distribute any ‘revdi’ (freebies) but when the need arose, free ration was provided to 80 crore people. And, more than 200 crore free Covid vaccine doses were also made available,” he said.
“India was the only country that did not waver during the coronavirus pandemic and continued its journey forward with full patience and strength. The credit for this goes to the leadership of the PM,” Adityanath said.
“India has gained new confidence under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even the international community today is unable to ignore India while making decisions. This shows the strength of India,” the CM said.
“Under the PM’s supervision, the vision of great men about the kind of India they envisaged at the time of Independence is being realised over the past eight years,” he added.
Story continues below this ad
The CM also presented the book ‘Modi@20’ to the attendees at the event.
The BJP too is organising the 16-day ‘Sewa Pakhwara’ on the occasion of PM’s birthday. As part of the initiative, BJP units in other districts organised several activities. In Varanasi, state ministers, BJP MLAs and leaders inaugurated a similar exhibition. BJP MLA Neelkanth Tiwari performed a “dugdhaabhishek” of Ganga and a havan at Kashi Vishwanath Dham to pray for PM Modi’s long life.
The party also organised blood donation camps in various districts on the occasion.
Lalmani is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, and is based in New Delhi. He covers politics of the Hindi Heartland, tracking BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP, RLD and other parties based in UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Covered the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, 2019 and 2024; Assembly polls of 2012, 2017 and 2022 in UP along with government affairs in UP and Uttarakhand. ... Read More