On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 71st birthday today, Rahul Gandhi posted a one-line greeting without comment. "Happy Birthday, Modi ji," wrote the Congress leader, who frequently targets the government and the ruling BJP in his near-daily tweets.
Happy birthday, Modi ji.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 17, 2021
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, another fierce critic of PM Modi, also wished him in a tweet. "Birthday greetings to PM Shri Narendra Modi. I pray for your long and healthy life," he posted.
Birthday greetings to Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji. I pray for your long and healthy life.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 17, 2021
Both supporters and critics of PM Modi wished him on Twitter with the trending hashtag #HappyBdayModiji.
The BJP has launched mega three-week birthday celebrations for PM Modi, which will include "thank you" postcards from citizens, vaccination drives, cleanliness and environmental campaigns and ceremonies. The celebrations, marking the Prime Minister's 20 years in public office, will continue till October 7, the day in 2001 when he was sworn in as Gujarat's Chief Minister.
The ruling party has billed the celebrations as a "Seva Samarpan Abhiyan" or "service and dedication campaign". As a counter, the Congress has put out a blizzard of tweets urging people to mark the day as "National Unemployment Day".
"What a shameful HAPPY BIRTHDAY for Indian Prime-minister Modi. The whole of India is wishing him #NationalUnemploymentDay," the Congress's youth wing chief Srinivas BV wrote in a series of tweets criticising the government on joblessness, slow growth and fuel prices.
Hello Indian Media,
— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) September 17, 2021
Are You Celebrating Modi Ji's birthday or #NationalUnemploymentDay / #राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस with the youth of this country?
Over 1 Million tweets already on the issue of unemployment, Report the facts if journalism is alive. pic.twitter.com/T4VbGwwED5
Tweets on Modi ji birthday:-
— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) September 17, 2021
199k (until 9.30am)
Tweets on Unemployment Day:-
Crossing 879K+
Modi ji, Aap Dekh Rahe Hai Na?#राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस
#NationalUnemploymentDay pic.twitter.com/txriM1JMkH
◆ Worst Unemployment in 45 yrs
— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) September 17, 2021
◆ GDP growth lowest in 40 yrs
◆ Farm Income lowest in 14 yrs
◆ 20 Lakh Cr Jumla Package
◆ 150 million Jobs losses
◆ 110₹+ Liter Petrol
◆ 100₹+ Liter Diesel
Thats why India is celebrating #NationalUnemploymentDay #राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस
आज 'बेरोजगारी' के
— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) September 17, 2021
खिलाफ क्रांति हो रही है...#राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस#NationalUnemploymentDay
Rahul Gandhi had also tweeted last week on job losses. "The 'development' of the BJP government is such that the difference between Sunday and Monday has ended. If there is no job then what Sunday and what Monday!" - the Congress MP had posted in Hindi.
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