Rajnath Singh to Speak in Kolkata on ‘Seva Se Sankalp Abhiyan’ Ahead of Modi’s Birthday

On Tuesday evening, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to his social‑media handle and announced that he will be in Kolkata tomorrow, September 16, to address a gathering of journalists. The purpose? To roll out the “Seva Se Sankalp Abhiyan”, a campaign the BJP has put together to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17 and his quarter‑century in public service.

Singh’s tweet was straightforward yet tinged with a note of anticipation: “Tomorrow, 16th September, I shall be in Kolkata (West Bengal). I shall be addressing a media conference on ‘Seva Se Sankalp Abhiyan’, which is being undertaken to mark PM Shri @narendramodi’s birthday and his completion of 25 years as Head of Government…” The message, while official, felt a little like an invitation to witness something bigger than a routine press meet.

The “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan” itself is slated to run for a full month – from September 17 through October 17 – and will feature a series of service‑oriented programmes across the country. Think of it as a “do‑good” marathon, with volunteers rolling out initiatives on cleanliness, de‑addiction, TB‑free India, plastic‑free India and water‑conservation.

One of the headline events of this drive is a bike yatra that will start simultaneously from two symbolic locations: Vadnagar in Gujarat and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The “Vadnagar‑to‑Varanasi” and “Varanasi‑to‑Vadnagar” Yatra will be flagged off at 9:30 am on September 17. In Vadnagar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other senior BJP leaders will give the nod. Over in Varanasi, the flag‑off will be witnessed by Rajnath Singh himself, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a host of party stalwarts.

The itinerary is ambitious – the convoy will criss‑cross 193 districts, pass through roughly 1,159 villages spread across ten states, and cover about 40,000 kilometres. Around a thousand youngsters from across India are expected to join, riding together and taking on public‑service tasks at every stop. By the time the journey wraps up on October 7, participants will have pledged to plant 25 trees a day, echoing the environmental thrust of the larger campaign.

While the yatra is the most visible element, the broader “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan” will also see grassroots activities like clean‑up drives, health camps, and awareness workshops. The BJP frames all this as a tribute not just to Modi’s birthday but to his 25‑year journey from Gujarat’s chief ministerial office to the prime minister’s residence.

As the media conference in Kolkata approaches, observers will be watching for the tone of the launch – whether it leans more toward rallying volunteers or merely showcasing another political outreach. Either way, the campaign underscores a pattern: large‑scale, service‑centric initiatives timed to coincide with milestones in the leadership’s narrative.