Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday nominated a few more prominent personalities, including former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi and stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma as brand ambassadors for the “Clean India” campaign which he kicked off on Gandhi Jayanti day.
Addressing journalists at the ancient Assi Ghat here, Mr. Modi appreciated the efforts of citizens and social organisations in joining his cleanliness drive and bringing about noticeable changes across the country. He also wielded a broom in the narrow by-lanes of the old city and exhorted people to keep the city clean.
Reacting in Kolkata to his nomination, Mr. Ganguly said Swachh Bharat was a noble cause. “Our country is big with many problems and it is an attempt to address a few. Many others were nominated for the campaign earlier. I will figure out what I will have to do,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Modi also nominated Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya and classical dancer Sonal Mansingh to boost the campaign. Others who have been made brand ambassadors are the famous dabbawalas of Mumbai, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Ramoji Rao and his Eenadu group, and TV Today chairman Aroon Purie and his organisation.
Lauding the efforts of people and groups in cleaning up Assi Ghat, Mr. Modi said: “Assi Ghat is now in its original form... In November, I started this drive here and people from all walks of life joined it. We will take this work forward. Ghats were unique to Kashi’s culture and the government will clean and beautify all ghats.”
He made a special appreciation for the Delhi-based NGO Sulabh International, which apart from Assi Ghat, has adopted five other ghats in Varanasi for the cleanliness drive.
ADVERTISEMENT
(With inputs from Suvojit Bagchi in Kolkata)