Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 73 on Sunday, with President Droupadi Murmu and other dignitaries and politicians extending their best wishes to him. The BJP has started “Sewa Pakhwara” from today till October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, to reach out to different sections of society with a host of welfare initiatives to mark the birthday of its preeminent leader.
In Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, a group of Muslim women celebrated the Prime Minister birthday by performing an 'aarti' and lighting 73 earthen lamps.
The women associated with the Muslim Mahila Foundation (MMF) also sang folk songs and wished for Modi's long life, its office bearers said. The women also made 'rangolis' and offered 'laddoos' to the photograph of PM Modi, and chanted slogan “Muslim bahne kare pukaar, har jagah ho Modi sarkaar”.
Extending best wishes, the President Murmu said she wished that Modi with his foresight and strong leadership paves the way for India's development in every field during the 'Amrit Kaal'.
Lauding the Prime Minister as the architect of new India, Home Minister Amit Shah said he has laid a strong foundation of a grand and self-reliant India on the basis of the country's ancient heritage. “Be it the party organisation or the government, we always get inspiration of national interest being supreme from Modi ji,” he said, adding that he considered it his good fortune to serve the country under such a unique leader.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also greeted Modi. “My best wishes to PM Shri Narendra Modi ji on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and long life,” Kharge said on X. Many Chief Ministers belonging to different parties, including Yogi Adityanath, Nitish Kumar, Siddharamaiah and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, posted on X birthday wishes to Modi.
UP Chief Mininister said Modi is “great devotee of Maa Bharati, the architect of 'New India' and the dreamer of a developed India”. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati also extended birthday wishes to the Prime Minister.
Wishing him, BJP president J P Nadda said the Prime Minister has given tangible shape to Indian culture's global prestige, people's multi-dimensional development and the nation's universal progress. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Modi has not given merely a new identity to India but also enhanced its prestige in the world.
BJP members and Modi's admirers participated in a host of activities, including yagna and puja, cleanliness drive, plantation and distribution of food items among the poor, on the day. The Mrime Minister himself will be part of the launch of several development initiatives on his birthday. With 'Vishwakarma Jayanti' falling on Sunday as well, Modi is launching his government's ambitious scheme, “PM Vishwakarma”, which is aimed at helping artisans and craftsmen and others engaged in traditional skills on the occasion.
As practitioners of these traditional occupations come largely from Other Backward Classes, the scheme with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore is also being seen as the ruling BJP's outreach to the politically important segment. Modi inaugurated the first phase of the India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC), named Yashobhoomi, in Dwarka and also the extension of the Delhi Airport Metro Express line from Dwarka Sector 21 to a new metro station at Dwarka Sector 25 as well on Sunday.
Superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan and Mohanlal were among those from the Indian film industry to greet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday and wish him health and happiness. The celebrities took to social media to wish the PM on his 73rd birthday. Shah Rukh Khan said he hopes the Prime Minister gets some time to have fun on his special day. “Happy Birthday to Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi ji!!! Have a healthy and joyful day. May u get some time off from work and have a bit of fun too. Best wishes,” the “Jawan” star wrote on X.
Wishing Modi on his birthday, actor-BJP MP Hema Malini called him an “exemplary leader who leads us by example”. Actor and BJP MP Sunny Deol also congratulated Modi on the occasion. Actor and politician Kamal Haasan also sent his greetings to the PM.
“May you be bestowed with good health and prosperity. @narendramodi,” he wrote. Actor Kangana Ranaut extended her wishes to the PM, whom she referred to as “the architect of New Bharat”. “Happy birthday to the most loved leader in the world, an ordinary man who rose to the heights of empowerment through his hard work and perseverance...” she wrote on X.