PM Modi Birthday Celebrations Draw Social Media Fire: Why The Diya Campaign Is Under Scrutiny

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday on September 17 was meant to be marked with celebration. Instead, it also drew unexpected criticism online. BJP leaders had called on citizens to light diyas in his honour. But the campaign soon became a talking point for a different reason.

The 'Aashirwad Ka Diya' initiative was led by party president Nitin Nabin and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who urged people to light lamps and wish the Prime Minister well. Pujas and other events were organised across BJP-ruled states, including a large diya display depicting Modi in Ujjain.

As images of leaders, officials and students taking part in these events spread online, some questioned the timing and use of public resources, particularly with Bihar still dealing with widespread flooding.

What Happened In Ujjain?

The biggest spectacle took place in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain, where the BJP’s month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ was launched alongside Modi’s birthday celebrations.

The event was initially planned around 25 lakh diyas. On Thursday evening, however, 33.27 lakh earthen lamps were lit simultaneously along the Shipra river and at the Mahakal Lok corridor. The lighting began after a siren at 7 pm and was completed within about three minutes, according to officials. More than 25,000 volunteers, residents and devotees participated.

The event was also presented as a world record. Across Madhya Pradesh, officials said 3.55 crore diyas were lit at 845 locations. At Ujjain’s Kartik Mela ground, volunteers also used lamps to create an image of Modi.

The scale of the event brought the resources involved into focus, including questions online about the quantity of oil and other material required for millions of lamps. However, publicly available reports on the event have not established a definitive figure for the total oil used or the expenditure specifically incurred on the Ujjain diya event.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the lamps as a symbol of affection, respect and gratitude for Modi’s 25 years of public service. BJP leaders have presented the wider campaign as a public-service and participation initiative rather than simply a birthday celebration.

Why Did Bihar Become A Flashpoint?

The controversy took on a different dimension in Bihar, where nearly 50 lakh people have reportedly been affected by floods across 15 districts.

The Bihar BJP organised ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ events across the state as part of its ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary participated in the programme at Patliputra Sports Complex, while BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi attended an event in Darbhanga. The BJP said more than 20 lakh diyas were lit across Bihar.

Opposition parties questioned the timing and expenditure involved.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the government had no money for flood victims but was willing to spend on Modi’s birthday celebrations. CPI(ML) Liberation state secretary Kunal similarly called the events insensitive, arguing that resources should instead be directed towards food, medicines and rehabilitation for flood-affected families.

Questions also arose over the role of government institutions. Yadav shared orders from the Bihar Education Department and Bihar Education Project Council directing schools to participate in diya-lighting activities. Reports from Bihar also indicated that district-level authorities had issued instructions to schools and other public institutions, with some orders specifying minimum numbers of lamps.

The BJP, however, has described the programme as part of its month-long service campaign.

BJP Programme Or Government Event?

This distinction lies at the centre of much of the online criticism.

The BJP has officially described ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ as a month-long campaign marking Modi’s birthday and 25 years in public life. Its modules include diya-lighting, welfare activities, blood donation, school programmes and public outreach.

At the same time, several activities have involved government departments, schools or public institutions. In Delhi, for instance, The Wire reported that at least 75 government schools had been directed to light diyas on their premises, with schools provided lamps and other material by the administration.

A similar debate has emerged in Madhya Pradesh after CJP spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that Anganwadi workers were being pressured to organise Modi birthday events and record videos praising him and government schemes. These allegations have been made on social media and are not independently established by the available reports.

The criticism, therefore, is not simply about the cultural practice of lighting diyas. It centres on who organised the events, who paid for them, whether government machinery was involved, and whether public institutions should participate in celebrations centred on an individual political leader.

With BJP-ruled states presenting the celebrations as public-service campaigns, while critics question the use of state resources and official machinery, the diya campaign has become a larger debate about the boundary between party activity and government programmes.