Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak, who passed away recently, for his "major contribution" of giving an institutional solution to Mahatma Gandhi's ideas on cleanliness.
The social activist, who was a pioneer in building public toilets, died at the AIIMS due to a cardiac arrest last Tuesday. He was 80. In an article on Mr Pathak in a Hindi daily, PM Modi said he has been watching Mr Pathak's spirit ever since he was in Gujarat.
"Amidst the Independence Day celebrations on 15th August, it was very difficult for me to digest the news that Bindeshwar Pathak ji is no more amongst us. The demise of Bindeshwar ji, the Sulabh International founder who was simple and polite, is an irreparable loss," the Prime Minister said. Today's young generation should learn the dignity of labour from the life of Mr Pathak, he said.
"No work was too small for him and neither was any person. His efforts to provide a dignified life to our brothers and sisters engaged in sanitation work won him accolades across the world. I remember when I washed the feet of the brothers and sisters engaged in sanitation, Bindeshwar ji became so emotional that he discussed the incident at length with me," the Prime Minister said in his article in Amar Ujala.
"I am satisfied that the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has become a symbol of dignified life for the poor today. There have also been many such reports, which have proved that due to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the common people are getting freedom from diseases caused by filth and the ways to a healthy life are opening," he added.
The World Health Organisation has also said that due to the Swachh Bharat Mission, three lakh deaths have been prevented in the country, he pointed out. "Not only this, UNICEF has even said that due to the Swachh Bharat Mission, up to Rs 50,000 are being saved every year by the poor. Had the Swachh Bharat Mission not been there, the poor would have had to spend the same amount of money for the treatment of diseases caused by filth. The guidance of Bindeshwar ji was very useful in taking the Swachh Bharat Mission to this height," PM Modi said.
"This journey from clean India to healthy India, healthy India to harmonious India, harmonious India to strong India, strong India to prosperous India will be the most vibrant journey of Amrit Kaal. Yes, I will miss Bindeshwar ji a lot on this journey. Once again a humble tribute to him," PM Modi added.
Sharing his article on X, the Prime Minister said in Hindi, "It has been my good fortune that I got the opportunity to know very closely the life and mission of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, who made an invaluable contribution in the field of cleanliness."
Sulabh International is a social service organisation that works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, waste management and reforms through education.
