PM Modi turns 75, BJP celebrates with 'Sewa Pakhwada' as Prez, others greet him

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75 on Wednesday, with a host of dignitaries and politicians lauding his leadership and the ruling BJP launching over a fortnight long "Sewa Pakhwada" to mark the birthday of its pre-eminent leader.

The BJP-run governments at the Centre and states have lined up an array of outreach, welfare, development and awareness programmes, ranging from health camps to cleanliness drive, get togethers of intellectuals and fairs to promote indigenous products across the country till October 2.

Modi himself is travelling to Dhar in Madhya Pradesh to kick off a nationwide campaign focusing on the health and nutrition of women and children.

He will launch a slew of other development programmes, including one with focus on tribal population, and address a public meeting.

President Droupadi Murmu greeted Modi, who was born in a poor family in Gujarat's Vadnagar, and praised him for instilling a culture of setting and achieving great goals in the country.

"Today, the global community is also expressing its faith in your guidance," Murmu said in her birthday greetings to the PM.

"Heartfelt birthday greetings and best wishes to the Prime Minister of India, Shri @narendramodi ji. By exemplifying the pinnacle of hard work through your extraordinary leadership, you have instilled a culture of achieving great goals in the country," she said.

Thanking her, Modi said his government will remain dedicated to building a strong, capable and self-reliant India with the help of its over 140 cr citizens, and described her vision and ideas as inspirational.

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan said India is making a mark on the global stage and moving steadily towards the goal of a developed nation under his visionary leadership.

Speaker Om Birla said his unparalleled dedication and commitment to the country is an inspiration to every Indian.

BJP leaders and members of other parties extended birthday wishes to Modi, who has led his party to unprecedented geographical expansion and electoral success since 2014.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Modi with his visionary leadership, dedication to the nation and untiring hardwork has given the country new energy and shown it a new direction.

He has enhanced India's capability and respect globally, and his commitment to people's and the poor's welfare is exemplary, Singh said.

Home Minister Amit Shah said Modi has been working tirelessly for people's welfare for more than five decades, and he is a living inspiration of the 'nation first' motto for every citizen.

In posts on X, Shah described him as a symbol of sacrifice and dedication, and inspiration for crores of countrymen.

The home minister said from the RSS to the party and the government, Modi's journey in life shows the possibility of extensive transformations when resolve is as unwavering as the Himalayas and vision is as vast as the ocean.

"The entire nation takes pride in Modi, who has brought unimaginable changes to the lives of crores of citizens and connected them to the journey of building a developed and self-reliant India," he said.

Shah said that for the past four decades, he has had the opportunity to observe Modi in various roles -- whether as an RSS pracharak, the BJP's organisational general secretary, chief minister of Gujarat, or as the country's prime minister for the past 11 years.

"Modi has always placed the nation first and himself last. Workers like me are fortunate to have had the chance to work with him in every role he has undertaken," he said.

BJP president J P Nadda said PM Modi has taken many transformative steps to build an "aatmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat" with the goal of progress of every section of society.

Under his leadership, India's spiritual and cultural heritage have received global prestige, he added.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari hailed Modi as the world's most popular leader and wished that India under his leadership becomes self-reliant and a "vishwaguru", eradicating terrorism and corruption.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also extended their greetings to Prime Minister Modi.

In a post on X, Kharge said, "Best wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and long life."

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "Wishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji a happy birthday and good health."

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said Prime Minister Modi always stood with Delhi and took care of the needs of the city in the past 11 years.

Delhi wants to thank the prime minister on his birthday for the Centre's contributions towards infrastructure development and other initiatives to make life easier for the people of the city, she said.

In his birthday greetings, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described PM Modi as the torchbearer of the hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.

He said Modi's "unparalleled" determination, sensitive leadership, and unwavering dedication to the nation above all and the spirit of public welfare have elevated 'New India' to new heights of hope, self-confidence, and self-reliance.

Opposition leader and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also wished "a healthy, meaningful, harmonious, inclusive and positive" life for the PM.

Both Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak also took to social media to greet the PM on his birthday.

Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini described PM Modi's tenure as a transformative period that positioned India as a global power.

In a video message, the BJP MP said Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” has empowered citizens across the country.

Modi is the third longest serving prime minister of India after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi and second in terms of an uninterrupted tenure.

If the BJP emerged as the main challenger to the Congress under the dual leadership of Atal Bihar Vajpayee and L K Advani in the late 80s, it has left the main opposition party far behind in popular support and poll dominance under Modi since he led his party to its maiden Lok Sabha majority in 2014.

While the BJP suffered a setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls by falling short of the halfway mark, it has since recovered its mojo under Modi by pulling off impressive victories in assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra.