Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has appealed to people across the state to light earthen lamps, known as‘Ashirwad Ka Diya’, outside their homes and at places of worship on September 17 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. He urged citizens to offer prayers for the Prime Minister’s good health and long life.
Making what he described as a personal appeal during a Facebook Live session, Sarma also called on people to light lamps at sites associated with development projects, including houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, medical colleges and hospitals.
The initiative forms part of the month-long‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, scheduled from September 17 to October 17. The campaign commemorates 25 years of Modi’s public service, beginning with his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 and continuing through his years as Prime Minister. It will include service-oriented programmes, blood donation drives and ceremonial lamp-lighting events.
Sarma said the people of Assam should use the occasion to express gratitude to the Prime Minister for his contributions to the state. Highlighting several achievements during Modi’s tenure, he referred to the UNESCO World Heritage recognition of the Moidams of Charaideo, the granting of Classical Language status to Assamese, the Tata semiconductor project in Assam and major investments in infrastructure and connectivity.
He also credited the Modi government with promoting the Assamese gamosa, strengthening road and railway networks and supporting peace initiatives across the state. According to Sarma, these measures have helped bring Assam from the margins to the centre of national attention and accelerated the development of the Northeast.
Meanwhile, the Assam BJP has announced that party workers across more than 31,000 booths will participate in the lamp-lighting programme as part of the nationwide birthday celebrations.
