Why use State machinery to celebrate PM’s birthday? And who’s footing the bill?

PM Modi’s 76th birthday celebrations involve schools, officials and public programmes. But who is paying, and where does the state’s role end?

The BJP is marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday today (September 17)—as well as his 25 years in public life—with a month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, featuring public-service activities, blood donation drives, cleanliness programmes, and a lamp-lighting initiative called “Aashirwad ka Diya” (the lamp of blessings).

While the party is free to celebrate any event it chooses to, what has raised questions is the reported diktats to government schools to participate in these events and the organisation of programmes likely involving State expenditure.

For instance, a circular at a Jehanabad (Bihar) school reportedly asked teachers to remain on the campus from 6 pm to 7 pm to light lamps, record videos, and circulate the reels through WhatsApp groups. This was seemingly a direct impact of BJP president Nitin Nabin’s appeal for people to light an “Aashirwad ka Diya” specifically between 6 pm and 7 pm on September 17.