Amit Shah, Bhupendra Patel participate in cleanliness drive in Ahmedabad

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel participated in a cleanliness drive in Ahmedabad on Sunday as part of the nationwide campaign and the CM urged people to join the exercise to realise the concept of a clean India.

People from all walks of life, from politicians to students, wielded brooms and took part in the hour-long 'shramdaan' across the country as part of the 'Swachhata hi Seva' campaign, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for the cleanliness drive.

On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, Union minister Shah participated in the drive to clean Ranip bus stop and the surrounding area in Ahmedabad, while CM Patel took part in a cleanliness programme at Laxmangarh Hill in Ghatlodia locality of the city under his assembly constituency.

Ahmedabad Mayor Pratibha Jain, city civic body's standing committee chairman Devang Dani, local MLAs and corporators joined Shah in the campaign.

CM Patel urged citizens to join the campaign to strengthen the mantra of cleanliness.

In a post on X, Patel said, "Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi with the mantra of 'Swachhata Hi Seva' has called upon the countrymen to donate labour for one hour in cleanliness activities today on October 1, under which I participated in cleanliness work in various areas of my Ghatlodia constituency."

"Tomorrow is Gandhi Jayanti. Today let us all clean the street, neighbourhood, public places with collective labour and pay true tribute to Pujya Bapu. It is also our moral duty to maintain the cleanliness of places. Come, let us all realise the concept of clean India," he added.

Shah in a post on X on Saturday lauded PM Modi over his call for everyone to undertake cleanliness measures on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary.

"All of you should increase awareness about cleanliness around you and inspire other people for the same," he said in the post.

Gujarat assembly speaker Shankar Chaudhary also participated in the drive and said the new generation has made Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for cleanliness their 'life mantra'.

To realise Mahatma Gandhi's dream of cleanliness, the prime minister started the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan which the people have adopted naturally, he said.

A fortnight-long cleanliness campaign was launched on September 15 with the aim to mobilise the participation of people across the country through various activities.

The ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2023 campaign is themed 'Garbage-Free India'.