Taking a cue from the AlS Ice Bucket Challenge that had recently gone viral globally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday roped in nine celebrities, including cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, industrialist Anil Ambani and several actors, to spread awareness on cleanliness and make ‘Swachchh Bharat’ a people’s movement.
Internet-savvy Modi asked these eminent people to nominate nine more people to start a chain for the success of the campaign. The nine people they will nominate will be expected to continue the chain forward by adding a equal number of people.
Among others nominated by the Prime Minister are actors Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Kamal Hassan, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, yoga guru Ramdev and the team of TV serial Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma.
The invitees accepted the challenge expressing happiness. “I humbly accept the challenge...,” tweeted Tendulkar.
“I humbly accept respected Prime Minster Narendra Modiji’s challenge. This is an idea that is long overdue,” Priyanka Chopra tweeted, while Goa Governor Sinha said she was happy to be chosen as a campaigner for ‘Swachh Bharat.’
Modi administered a pledge to thousands of people, including schools children and Government employees, at Rajpath in the morning for remaining committed to cleanliness to make the country clean.
“I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this...I will neither litter nor let others litter,” pledged all those present at a function to mark the launch of “Swachh Bharat” (Clean India) mission at India Gate by the Prime Minister.
The original ‘ice bucket challenge’, where such a chain was created, was designed to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - also known as lou Gehrig’s Disease and motor neurone disease -- and grew as a global viral phenomenon.