Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Shazia Ilmi and Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh, who has been at odds with the Narendra Modi government over the rollback of the four-year undergraduate programme, were among those who joined the BJP’s ‘Swachh Delhi Abhiyan’ on Thursday.
They shared the stage with Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay along with seven others invited for the campaign by the State unit of the party.
Wrestler Sushil Kumar, India Islamic Centre president Sirazuddin Qureshi, Delhi University Students’ Union president Mohit Nagar, cardiologist Dr. K.K. Agarwal, Kathak artist Uma Sharma, DCM Group managing director Vinay Bharat Ram and Confederation of All India Traders general secretary Praveen Khandelwal were also nominated to take forward the campaign.
Mr. Naidu displayed campaign materials such as brochures and a video film that had Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s face on it and distributed badges that had the campaign symbol of ‘Gandhiji’s spectacles’ alongside the party’s lotus symbol.
“We have to ensure that ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ doesn’t just become a government programme. Instead, we have to make it a people’s movement and for this, we are talking to people from all walks of life, including political leaders, social workers, traders, spiritual leaders and others, for making it a success,” said Mr. Naidu.
He also added that the campaign should not be given a political colour. “I hope all political parties will also join this programme because this is not a programme of one political party. Everyone should be involved in this and nobody should be pointing fingers and accusing others,” the Minister said.
The Union Government is set to adopt a three-pronged approach of creating awareness among people, creation of infrastructure, toilets and sanitation facilities and involving the private sector in a big way, he said.
Indirectly referring to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Mr. Naidu said “some person is telling people to send him photos of filth and dirt. It is good but some pictures of good work should also be highlighted by the media.”
