Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday gave a clarion call to shun single-use plastic while urging citizens to take an initiative to make this a mass movement.
After flagging off the party's 'Sankalp Yatra' to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Shah, along with Delhi BJP leaders, undertook a 'padyatra' for 500 metres amid tight security.
Before participating in the foot march, the BJP president in a meeting highlighted the perils of single-use plastic, saying it takes nearly 400 years for the plastic to degrade.
Shah said even animals are adversely affected due to single-use plastic.
"It is the responsibility of BJP workers and people of country to make it a mass movement. Single-use plastic is dangerous to the country and the world," he said.
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Shah said the Narendra Modi government has organised several events to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi to re-establish his values and principles in the country.
"Today is the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi ji who not only played a vital role in getting the country its Independence but he also displayed to the world the power of satyagrah," the home minister said.
"Gandhi was the ambassador of cleanliness and after independence, Modi is the only prime minister who has made it a mass movement," Shah said.
He said Modi has worked to take the concept of cleanliness to the grassroots level.
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The BJP president said the party's elected representatives will undertake the 'padyatra' for the next 15 days to take forward Gandhi's values and principles among the masses.
Delhi BJP chief Manjo Tiwari and Union Minister Harsh Vardhan were also present at the event.
The BJP had earlier said the party's MPs, MLAs, other elected representatives and office-bearers would join the yatra in different parts of the country on Wednesday.
