Mira-Bhayandar BJP leader Hasmukh Gehlot skips birthday banners to help drought-hit farmers
Hasmukh Gehlot has asked supporters to put up no banners on his birthday and has promised Rs 500 for farmers for every greeting posted on social media.
Hasmukh Gehlot, the BJP's group leader and a prominent leader in Mira-Bhayandar, has taken a different approach to his birthday. Birthdays of leaders usually mean heavy spending on greeting banners, hoardings, advertisements and various events. Breaking with that old practice, Gehlot has chosen to help farmers in drought-hit parts of Maharashtra.
He has asked his party workers to divert the money that would be spent on birthday greetings to social work. His message to them is clear: "Do not put up banners, posters or hoardings anywhere on my birthday." Instead, he wants people to greet him on social media.
Supporters have been asked to use the hashtag "Kisan Hamara Annadata" (farmers are our food providers) in these posts. Gehlot has promised that for every greeting post that appears on social media on his birthday, Rs 500 will be set aside to help farmers. The effort is meant to turn birthday wishes directly into help for farmers.
Unnecessary spending on birthdays, giant banners and shows of strength are often criticised in politics. Gehlot's decision to put help for drought-hit farmers ahead of banners is being talked about. The initiative is being presented as a message that the farmer is the food provider of society, and that when farmers are in crisis, there is no better social work than helping them on one's own day of celebration.
It is hoped that other leaders will take a lesson from this and divert spending on birthdays, jayantis or other personal events to social causes. Especially at a time when farmers in drought-hit areas need help, the idea of turning a "birthday celebration" into a "farmer aid initiative" is being seen as worth adopting in politics.
If the initiative begun in Mira-Bhayandar does not stay limited to one leader's birthday, and other parties and elected representatives adopt it, a large fund could be raised for farmers. For this reason, citizens say the message "We need help for farmers, not banners" should take root in politics.
