PM Modi's mother joins 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign; distributes national flags

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Hiraba, who entered the 100th year of her life in June this year, distributed national flags to children at her residence on the outskirts of Gandhinagar city on Saturday in Gujarat. 

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel kicked off the three-day "Har Ghar Tiranga" campaign to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Independence by hoisting a huge tricolour on a 100-feet tall flag post at Children's University in the state capital on Saturday. 

Under this campaign, Hiraba distributed national flags to children at her residence and waved the tricolour with them, a government release said. She lives with the Prime Minister's younger brother Pankaj Modi. 

"Tiranga Yatra" was organised in different parts of Gujarat with BJP MLAs and ministers participating in rallies with people carrying the tricolour. 

Earlier in the day, Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil participated in a seven-km rally at Vijapur in the Mehsana district in the presence of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, MLAs and former MLAs. 

In Vadodara, BJP MP Ranjan Bhatt took out a "Tiranga Yatra' with local MLAs. Similar celebrations were witnessed in other cities and towns of Gujarat.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including Union ministers, joined the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign across the country as the three-day exercise began on Saturday to mark the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda hoisted the national flag at their residences and posted pictures on social media. As part of the exercise in the run-up to Independence Day, the BJP also held an exhibition on the eve of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day on August 14, at its office in New Delhi.

"Attended the poignant exhibition on 'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day' at BJP HQ that reminds us all of the pain of lakhs of our brothers and sisters during partition. We must never forget the cost that politics of hate and divide, driven by personal selfish interests imposed on us," Nadda said.

Union minister Bhupender Yadav visited Ballia in Uttar Pradesh to pay tributes to freedom fighter Chittu Pandey. 

Party leaders across the country attended different programmes, including 'Prabhat Pheri' and Tiranga rally.

BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh took part in a 'Prabhat Pheri' at Una in Himachal Pradesh. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled in Jodhpur the statue of Durgadas Rathore, a famous warrior credited with spearheading the fight against the Mughals.

Singh and Nadda were also scheduled to attend Tiranga rallies in Jodhpur and Meerut.

In a tweet, Shah said, "Tiranga is our pride. It unites and inspires every Indian. On PM Narendra Modi's clarion call of Har Ghar Tiranga, today hoisted a Tiranga at my residence in New Delhi and paid tributes to our valorous heroes who sacrificed everything for the motherland." 

He urged people to hoist the national flag at their homes during August 13-15 and "be a part of this campaign of awakening the spirit of patriotism in every heart." He also appealed to them to upload their photo with the national flag on social media.

(With inputs from PTI)