From prayers at temples and gurudwaras to rangolis in schools and Ganga aarti to blood donations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday turned into a nationwide celebration. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with various other ministers, donated blood earlier in the morning, right after participating in the Seva Sankalp walk ( Service Pledge March) at India Gate and cultural performances brought colour and vibrancy to the celebrations.
Witnessing the festive atmosphere, the Chief Minister remarked, “Delhi wins hearts and achievements.” The event was attended by Delhi MPs, ministers of the Delhi Government Cabinet, MLAs, councillors, as well as senior BJP leaders and workers. The Chief Minister stated that the Prime Minister has paid special attention to the Capital.
The Chief Minister and her Cabinet colleagues donated blood at a camp organised on the Kartavya Path on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, being observed as Sewa Pakhwada by the BJP-led city Government. The mega camp held on the Prime Minister’s 75th birthday collected 1,157 units of blood, setting a new record. Historically, city-wide blood donation camps have collected 2,000 units, while the highest collection at a single site previously was 350 units. “Every drop of our blood is dedicated to the country. We follow the Prime Minister’s message of service. I donated the first unit of blood at the camp following the saying ‘practice what you preach’,” the CM told reporters.
Addressing the event, she said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi did a lot for Delhi. It is for the first time in Delhi that people are saying ‘Thank you Modiji’ from this stage.” Rekha Gupta highlighted key initiatives for the Capital, including highways and expressways built at a cost of `1.25 lakh crore, as well as the launch of projects such as UER-1 and UER-2, aimed at effectively reducing pollution in Delhi. She added that under Prime Minister Modi Ji’s leadership, the metro network has been expanded by 400 kilometres, which has prevented Delhi from being trapped in severe traffic congestion.
The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to PM Modi for “giving” the national capital Yashobhoomi and Bharat Mandapam venues and good road connectivity. The CM informed that the Prime Minister has provided Delhi with 6.8 million Jan Dhan accounts, `2,500 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, piped water connections to millions of homes, ownership rights to 1,731 unauthorised colonies, 1,100 Ayushman Mandirs, `2,700 crore for primary health sectors, and special railway projects like RRTS worth `30,000 crore.
A ‘Seva Sankalp Walk’ was organised on Kartavya Path. She highlighted the multilingual wishes offered by school children as a beautiful example of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Great India). She also announced that during the 15-day Seva Sankalp Fortnight, the Delhi Government will dedicate 75 public welfare schemes to the people. During the Seva Sankalp Yatra, Delhi’s cultural heritage was showcased in all its grandeur.
Artists performed traditional folk dances from Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, West Bengal and other states, infusing the atmosphere with joy and enthusiasm. The Chief Minister herself participated in folk dances, boosting the morale of performers. Sirsa also shook a leg to dhol beats. Earlier in the day, Delhi ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Kapil Mishra offered prayers at Margat Wale Hanuman Mandir and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib for Modi’s long life. Mishra organised a recital of Hanuman Chalisa at the temple in Kashmere Gate.
“On the occasion of the Prime Minister’s birthday, we have come to Marghat Wale Hanuman Mandir. We pray to Lord Hanuman for his long life and protection,” Mishra said. Sirsa said that he prayed at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib for Prime Minister Modi’s long life so that he can continue to serve India. “Ever since he became the Prime Minister, Bharat’s name has been recognised around the world.”
