Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75 on Wednesday, September 17. The BJP is holding several nationwide programs to celebrate PM Modi’s birthday. In poll-bound Bihar, a film on Modi’s childhood has become a part of the saffron party’s election campaign.
At present, Modi is arguably one of the tallest leaders India has seen since Independence. The fact that he is in his third straight term itself speaks of his popularity and mass appeal.
But this has not been an easy journey.
Before he became the “super” Chief Minister of Gujarat and emerged as a mass leader at the national level, Modi toiled hard at the grassroots level, serving people and connecting with the public mood.
Unlike most other leaders, Modi chose to go beyond empty speeches, turning his journey into ‘Jansampark ‘and moments into ‘Jan Samvedna’.
As PM Modi turns 75 today, here is a look at the political ‘Yatras’ that he undertook before emerging on national stage:
Somnath–Ayodhya Rath Yatra (1990): It was this Rath Yatra that changed the political fortunes of the BJP. Organised by former deputy prime minister and veteran leader LK Advani, the Rath Yatra had commenced from Somnath, Gujarat in September 1990.
Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat BJP’s General Secretary, was Advani’s charioteer for the Gujarat-leg of the Yatra. It is being said that Modi didn’t eat anything and survived only on water during the Gujarat leg of the Yatra, which passed through over 600 villages.
Ekta Yatra (1991–92): The Yatra was one of the historic moments as it concluded with raising national flag at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk.
Led by Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, the Ekta Yatra began on December 11, 1991 with a sole aim of hoisting the national flag at Lal Chowk on January 26.
The Yatra was held under the supervision of Narendra Modi who accompanied Dr Joshi all along the journey.
The Yatra concluded with raising the national flag at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, with Modi leading its organisation. It was a strong demonstration of India’s unity and independence.
The BJP had given the slogan of ‘370 Hatao, Aatankawaad Mitaao, Desh Bachao’ during the Yatra, advocating the removal of Article 370, eradication of terrorism, and safeguarding the nation’s integrity.
Gujarat Gaurav Yatra (2002): In Gujarat, Modi led this journey across the state to reconnect with the people and restore the state’s pride.
Although Modi has been a part of BJP’s ‘yatra culture’, his first major Yatra as Chief Minister came with the ‘Gujarat Gaurav Yatra’.
He turned the Yatra into a powerful vehicle for governance and used it to communicate with people about governance policies, something rarely seen before.
Traditionally, ‘yatras” are an Opposition tool to highlight governance failure and target governments but Modi used it to connect with people and showcase his government’s achievements under his leadership.
Swarnim Gujarat Sankalp Jyot Rath Yatra (2010): As Chief Minister, Modi took out this Yatra to celebrate 50 years of Gujarat’s formation. In the Yatra, he shared the promise of a “Golden Gujarat” based on growth and collaboration among people.
This was also the time when his “Gujarat Model” started resonating on the national level. Despite having a non-BJP government at the Centre, Modi’s governance ensured Gujarat becomes a shining example of development for other states to follow.