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Neither dynasty nor legacy, PM built identity through struggle: Yogi Adityanath
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath gives details of month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan that will run from September 17 to October 17, marking Modi’s 25 years in public life. BJP plans to engage with youth, students
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Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had neither dynastic tradition nor a hereditary political legacy but built his identity through penance, spiritual discipline and struggle.
The entire country is benefiting from the prime minister’s penance in the form of capable leadership, Adityanath said at a joint press conference with UP BJP president and Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary here.
The chief minister gave details of the month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan that will run from September 17 to October 17, marking Modi’s 25 years in public life.
The first day of the campaign, September 17 (coinciding with Modi’s birthday), will be observed as Seva Diwas and ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ (lamp of blessings) will be lit in every gram panchayat, urban local body and important establishment to pray for the PM’s long and healthy life, the chief minister said.
Fruits will be distributed in hospitals and blood donation camps will be held with BJP and Yuva Morcha workers participating in service programmes, he added.
To symbolically link PM Modi’s journey from his hometown Vadnagar in Gujarat to Kashi, 20 yatras have been planned — 10 from Vadnagar to Kashi and 10 from Kashi to Vadnagar, he said.
Kashi-bound yatras will carry water from Vadnagar, while yatras going to Vadnagar will carry holy water from 10 rivers of Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat. All the yatras will start on September 17 and reach their destination on October 7, holding chaupals and ‘jan samvad’ at four places daily en route, the chief minister said.
The BJP plans to engage with the youth and students during the campaign. Competitions on ‘Atmanirbhar and Viksit UP for Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat’ will be held at three levels: a painting contest for Classes 5-8, an essay competition for Classes 9-12, and a speech contest for colleges and universities. The move comes amid the controversy over the UGC equity regulations and recent Gen Z and Gen Alpha protests.
Selected students at village, block and district levels will get certificates and state-level winners will be awarded by the chief minister on October 7.
The chief minister said, “October 7, 2026 marks the completion of 25 years of Modiji’s service as the chief minister of Gujarat and as prime minister.”
The core of the campaign will be ‘Seva Setu’ camps to enrol deprived eligible beneficiaries in government schemes. The camps will be organised for six-seven days in each of the 826 development blocks of the state and 762 urban local bodies between September 29-30 and October 10, he said.
On-spot registration for health schemes, pension, housing, toilets and ration cards will be done. Verification will be completed in two-three days so the benefit or card is given in the camp itself. Public representatives will remain present. If needed, the campaign will run in two phases, he said.
‘Seva Mera Yogdan’ from September 17 to October 17 will cover cleanliness drives in slums, ghats, temples and public places, Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, blood donation, health camps, voter awareness, Vocal for Local, Gau Seva and career counselling. Ministers, public representatives, office bearers and common people will participate in the campaign, the chief minister added.
Adityanath said UP had only 120 startups before 2017; now there are over 24,000. Students of Atal Tinkering Labs, incubators, drones, robotics and space tech will be included in the campaign.
Rangoli competitions on ‘Rashtra Ke Rang, Seva Ke Rang Aur Rashtra Ke Sang’ showcasing the country’s major achievements and ‘Sushasan Seva Samvad’ with panchayat and urban body representatives are also planned.
Targeting the Congress, Adityanath recalled former Prime Minister the late Rajiv Gandhi’s statement that out of ₹100 sent from Delhi only ₹15 reached the poor, saying it reflected the helplessness of the system then.
Now, with Jan Dhan accounts and DBT (direct benefit transfer), the entire ₹100 reaches the beneficiary, he said.
He said under PM Modi, India moved out of the Fragile Five to the top five economies, with unprecedented growth in highways, expressways, railways, metros, airports, waterways, and the launch of Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, Amrit Bharat. AIIMS, IITs, IIMs expanded.
On heritage, the chief minister said the Congress opposed the then President Rajendra Prasad attending the Somnath temple programme. In contrast, after 2014, Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Ram temple in Ayodhya, and the grand Kumbh showed heritage and development together, he said.
Adityanath said 26 crore (260 million) people came out of poverty in the country, including over six crore (60 million) in UP, with 16 crore (160 million) poor in the state benefiting from housing, toilets, Ujjwala, electricity, ration and drinking water.
He said PM Modi’s journey encompasses Antyodaya of Deendayal Upadhyaya and Gram Swaraj of Mahatma Gandhi, so Deendayal Jayanti on September 25 and Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 will be linked with the campaign. The programme will run from the booth to Shakti Kendra, block, district and state levels.
Higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyay was also present.
