Kolkata, 07 September (H.S.) : The Bharatiya Janata Party will launch a month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ across the country from September 17 to October 17 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public administration. In West Bengal, the campaign will be organised extensively from the booth to the district level.

State BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Shamik Bhattacharyya announced the programme at a press conference held at the party’s Salt Lake office on Monday.

Bhattacharyya said October 7 will mark 25 years since Modi assumed the highest elected executive office, beginning with his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister. He described Modi’s uninterrupted presence in the highest levels of elected administration through the democratic electoral process as a significant example in Indian political history.

According to the state BJP president, the campaign is aimed at highlighting Modi’s 25-year administrative journey and the various welfare initiatives launched during this period.

The campaign will begin on September 17, Modi’s birthday, and continue until October 17. Programmes will be organised at the booth, mandal, block, subdivision and district levels across West Bengal. District BJP organisations will hold press conferences on September 9 and 10 to announce detailed programmes for their respective areas.

25 Lamps to Mark PM’s Birthday

On September 17, BJP workers will light at least 25 lamps at every booth in the state to pray for Modi’s good health, longevity and success. Bhattacharyya said preparations for the initiative have already begun.

As part of the campaign, the BJP will release a documentary and a theme song titled ‘Namo Seva Gatha’, showcasing Modi’s administrative work and various welfare initiatives over the past 25 years.

A ‘Seva Jyoti Yatra’ will also be organised to take the campaign to people through a decentralised structure at the district and mandal levels.

Bhattacharyya said the campaign would not be limited to political publicity but would also be developed as a service-oriented social initiative.

Under ‘Seva Mein Mera Yogdan’, people will be encouraged to participate in activities such as cleanliness drives, helping underprivileged and needy people, restoration of rivers and water bodies, water conservation and waste segregation.

The BJP state president said that in a country with a population of 140 crore, the government alone cannot resolve every problem and greater participation from society is necessary.

Special Camps to Help People Access Welfare Schemes

A major component of the campaign will be the ‘Seva Setu Abhiyan’, under which three-day special camps will be organised to help eligible people who have been unable to access various welfare schemes of the Central and state governments.

The camps will initially be held at the block level and later extended to the booth level. Party workers will assist people with filling out application forms, completing digital procedures and obtaining information about government schemes.

The BJP has said it will work to ensure that eligible beneficiaries of schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Annapurna Yojana and old-age pensions are not deprived of benefits.

Bhattacharyya also alleged that several Central welfare schemes have not been properly implemented in West Bengal due to political considerations and alleged lack of cooperation from the state government. He specifically mentioned the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, PM Vishwakarma and PM-KISAN schemes.

Science Congress, Art and Children’s Competitions

The month-long campaign will also include painting competitions, poetry recitation and other creative activities for children. The party plans to involve a large number of children across the country.

To encourage innovation among young people, Science Congress programmes are planned in five cities, including Kolkata. Young scientists and innovators from different parts of the country are expected to participate.

Art colleges in West Bengal will also be associated with the campaign. Their artworks will be used to showcase Modi’s 25-year administrative journey and various Central Government initiatives.

The BJP also plans to collect and promote success stories of 25 lakh beneficiary families whose lives, according to the party, have changed through various social welfare schemes of the Modi government. Their experiences will be shared with the public through social media platforms, Instagram and other mass communication channels.

BJP Rejects ‘Saffron Bengal’ Narrative

Responding to questions from journalists about the phrase ‘Saffron Bengal’, Bhattacharyya said the BJP did not believe in such terminology. He described saffron as a symbol of sacrifice and continuity of Indian culture and said the party did not subscribe to expressions such as ‘Saffron Bengal’, ‘Saffron storm’ or ‘saffronisation of education’.

Asked whether Prime Minister Modi would visit West Bengal during the month-long campaign, Bhattacharyya said there was currently no confirmed information regarding such a visit. He said the Prime Minister visits states on his own schedule rather than being brought to a state by the party.

‘Youth Have the Right to Question’

On the issue of Generation Z, Bhattacharyya said it was inappropriate to view the younger generation separately from other sections of society. Young people, he said, have the right to ask questions and express their views in their own language.

He added that questioning, debating and protesting on social issues are positive aspects of democracy and said the BJP would not seek to curtail the right of young people to raise questions.

On the recent controversy over the dietary choices of Bengalis, Bhattacharyya said the BJP had no position on what people in West Bengal should eat or wear.

Referring to the call by Bageshwar Baba for vegetarianism, he said a religious figure could express his personal opinion or offer advice, but what people in Bengal choose to eat remains an individual matter.

“Some may eat fish and meat, while others may prefer vegetarian food. It is a matter of personal choice,” he said.

Bhattacharyya said the BJP’s objective through the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ was to take the Prime Minister’s 25-year administrative journey, welfare initiatives and their claimed impact on people’s lives to the public, while simultaneously turning the month-long programme into a broader social campaign focused on public service.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh