Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who turns 64 on September 17, has appealed to friends and well-wishers to refrain from celebrating and instead, donate towards the Jammu and Kashmir flood victims.
“I am hearing from different places that friends and well-wishers are planning various programmes and events for my birthday. My humble request - do not celebrate my birthday,” the PM said in a short statement.
“Instead, dedicate yourselves towards relief work in J-K through your time and resources. The need of the hour is to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our sisters and brothers of Jammu and Kashmir,” Modi added.
This is the PM’s second appeal in the last three days to generate more funds for the relief and rehabilitation work in J&K, which has been devastated by the worst floods it has seen in sixty years.
Modi also clarified that September 17 will be a full working day for him. “(Chinese) President Xi Jinping will be in Gujarat. We look forward to extending a warm welcome to him but there will be no birthday celebrations,” he added.
On September 12, Modi appealed to people to donate generously for J&K, after all staff of his office donated one day’s salary for the relief operations of India’s northernmost state.
{{/usCountry}}On September 12, Modi appealed to people to donate generously for J&K, after all staff of his office donated one day’s salary for the relief operations of India’s northernmost state.
{{/usCountry}}Modi had also surveyed the state aerially and chaired high-level meetings to monitor the flood situation of J-K.