Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked Indians to help build a nation of Gandhi's dreams.

Modi launches 'Swachh Bharat' campaign

On October 2, 2014, the birth anniversay of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a powerful appeal to the nation to help him fulfil Gandhiji's dream of a clean India. After offering his tributes at Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi, Modi launched the Swachh Bharat campaign

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wields the broom

Modi invokes Gandhi's dream for Clean India

India as a nation often adopts a double standard towards cleanliness, a version of Not In My Backyard mindset. Thus, people keep their homes clean while assuming that cleaning up their litter in public places is the government's problem. As Modi pointed out, foreign nations are clean not naturally, but because of the mindset of their citizens. "When we see littering, why don't we feel the urge to clean it up?" he questioned.

Clean India needs a change in mindset

Like Gandhiji, who was known for cleaning the toilets himself to promote cleanliness and dignity of labour, Modi exhorted the nation to clean up their own mess. "It is not just the job of sanitation workers to keep the country clean, it is ours as well," he said in his address. "We gained freedom under the leadership of Gandhiji but his dream of clean India is still unfulfilled."

Help realise Gandhi's dream of Clean India: Modi

Narendra Modi wields the broom

Appropriately enough, Modi decided to launch the campaign from Valmiki Basti in New Delhi. Valmikis are a sub-caste in India who traditionally employed in sanitation and janitorial jobs. Gandhiji gave lower castes such as the Valmikis the generic name of 'Harijan' or 'People of God' in an effort to disperse the taboo attached to them, but the name quickly acquired pejorative overtones. Modi himself is a member of Other Backward Classes, making him only the second OBC to be elected prime minister of India.

PM Modi flags off 'Swachh Bharat' walkathon

Residents of Valmiki Basti

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks with some members of the Valimiki Basti who joined him for the Swachh Bharat launch event. In his speech, Modi pointed out that according to WHO estimates, poor sanitation costs an average Indian about Rs 6,500 annually because of health costs and lost income. The costs are disproportionately higher for lower-income groups.

Dharmendra Pradhan at Clean India campaign in Bhubanashwar 

PM Modi speaks with sanitation workers

Modi also introduced a novel twist to the campaign by asking celebrities to join in the campaign by enlisting nine others. Each of those nine people would then enlist nine more, creating a pyramid of volunteers. Here, noted Bollywood actor Aamir Khan - who joined the PM on stage to take a pledge of volunteerism for cleanliness - is seen with Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and Bhojpuri actor and BJP MP Manoj Tiwary.

Prakash Javadekar at Clean India campaign in Shastri Bhawan

Swachh Bharat as the next Ice Bucket Challenge

Modi also appealed to the self-pride of Indians, saying if the people could send a mission to Mars, they could certainly at least keep their 
neighbourhoods clean. He also urged them to rise above politics in this mission. Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flagged off a walkathon as part of the nationwide campaign, 'Swachh Bharat Mission' after its launch in New Delhi on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off a walkathon in New Delhi

PM Narendra Modi flags off a walkathon in New Delhi

Modi's colleagues were soon to follow suit. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar participated in a cleanliness drive at his ministry in Shastri Bhawan. Meanwhile, in the digital world, Modi's challenges elicited quick responses from Sachin Tendulkar, Priyanka Chopra, both of whom accepted.