Varanasi: Defence minister Rajnath Singh and chief minister Yogi Adityanath will flag off the BJP and Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha’s ‘Seva Sankalp Bike Yatra’ from Kashi to Vadnagar in Gujarat on Sept 17, marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday and 25 years of his public life.Before that, a function will be held at Rudraksh Convention Centre, where Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Union minister Chirag Paswan, deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, state BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary, and other senior leaders will also be present. The yatra is part of the party’s month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, to be held across the country from Sept 17 to Oct 17.BJP Kashi region unit president Ashok Chaurasia said a meeting of senior party functionaries was held at the Circuit House till Monday night to finalise arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday celebrations. PM’s birthday events coordinator and MP VD Sharma will also be in Varanasi.Kashi region unit spokesperson Navratan Rathi said the celebrations would begin with 51 ‘Seva Karyakartas’ (service volunteers) gathering at Lalita Ghat. As part of the ‘Seva Sankalp Bike Yatra’, they will set out for Vadnagar on motorcycles after collecting Gangajal from the ghat and proceed to the Kashi Vishwanath temple for Jalabhishek, accompanied by the beats of damrus.A havan at 11 kunds will then be performed for the well-being of PM Modi, after which the travellers will be given helmets. They will subsequently head to the Rudraksh Convention Centre, Rathi said, adding that an exhibition showcasing Modi’s 25-year political journey, contributions and achievements will be opened for the guests after their arrival after 10 am.Later, the guests will address the gathering at the auditorium of the Rudraksh Convention Centre, Rathi said, adding that the programme will culminate in the flagging off of the motorcycle rally to Vadnagar. While VD Sharma will oversee the events and flag-off ceremony in Varanasi, BJYM national president and MP Hemang Joshi will be in Vadnagar, where another group of Seva Karyakartas will set out for Varanasi on motorcycles the same day.During Monday night meeting, UP minister JPS Rathore said the journey from Kashi to Vadnagar would connect youth with service, good governance and nation-building inspired by Modi’s life. He said Vadnagar represents Modi’s early struggles, while Kashi reflects his faith, cultural roots and present field of public service.The service volunteers will leave Kashi on motorcycles along 10 routes, covering 50 districts in UP, with 88 night halts and 187 scheduled stops. Youth from several states, including West Bengal, Odisha, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, are also expected to join the yatra. The programme will focus on interactions with beneficiaries and service activities rather than lengthy speeches.Joshi directed the organising team to complete all arrangements for the service volunteers in time, including accommodation, food, transport and reception. He also asked them to facilitate meetings with Lakhpati Didis, Drone Didis, beneficiaries of cooperative schemes, and youth and students associated with PM Shri, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas.
