JHAJJAR: BJP former national secretary Om Prakash Dhankar on Saturday hit back at Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda over his remark that Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini would soon be seen wearing a Himachali cap.Reacting to Hooda’s statement, Dhankar said every state has its own distinct traditions, cultural identity and customary attire.Wearing the traditional dress or headgear of another state, he said, should be viewed as a gesture of respect rather than made into a political issue.“Whether it is a turban or a cap, every state has its own tradition and identity. Wearing the traditional attire of a state is a mark of respect for that state. Such statements send a message of pettiness,” Dhankar said.Dhankar was addressing a press conference in Jhajjar, where he also announced the BJP’s month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan — Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva’ to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years of public service and governance.Dhankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will complete 25 years of public service and governance on October 7, 2026.Modi began his tenure as Gujarat chief minister on October 7, 2001, and has been serving as the Prime Minister of India since 2014.To commemorate the milestone, the BJP will observe the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan from September 17 to October 17, carrying the message ‘Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva’ — public service is service to God.Dhankar said the campaign would be conducted at every level, from the national level to villages, with party workers being assigned responsibilities for various programmes.He also highlighted Prime Minister Modi’s special association with Haryana, recalling that the party had benefited from his guidance when he served as Haryana in-charge.During the press conference, a specially compiled short film showcasing India’s transformation and progress under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership was also screened.Dhankar said India’s global standing and capabilities had undergone a significant transformation.He said India is today a country that exports defence equipment and has the capacity to provide vaccines to other nations.Recalling difficult phases in the country’s past, he said India had once faced food shortages and had reached a situation in the 1990s where it was forced to pledge its gold.“Today, India’s youth talks about a developed India alongside Modi ji. This is the changed India,” Dhankar said.Dhankar said the campaign would be a collective expression of gratitude and public goodwill towards Prime Minister Modi for his 25 years of dedicated public service.A wide range of programmes will be organised between September 17 and October 17, including ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’, ‘Mere Sapno Ka Bharat Chitra Seva Programme’, ‘Namo Seva Jankalyan’, ‘Aangan Milan Seva Programme’, ‘Seva Ki Kahani’, ‘Seva Jyoti Kalash Yatra’, ‘Viksit Bharat Ka Sankalp’, ‘Vadnagar-Varanasi Seva Yatra’, ‘Seva Mera Yogdan’, ‘Seva Hetu Abhiyan’, ‘Seva Ke Rang, Rashtra Ke Sang’, ‘Seva First Innovation Challenge’ and ‘Sushasan Seva Samvad’.Dhankar said the BJP would also undertake a series of social welfare and community outreach initiatives under its broader service-oriented campaign.These will include blood donation camps, visits and service activities at orphanages and ashrams, plantation drives, ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ initiatives, health check-up camps, the ‘Adopt a Village’ programme, yoga and meditation sessions, plastic-free awareness campaigns, women’s hygiene and healthcare initiatives, educational support for underprivileged children and career counselling.Other initiatives will include digital literacy programmes for senior citizens, organ donation pledges, Nasha Mukt Bharat awareness campaigns, nutrition and anaemia awareness drives, road safety campaigns, Veergatha and soldier felicitation programmes, and ‘Vocal for Local’ initiatives, besides several other programmes concerning social welfare.Responding to another question, Dhankar also hit back at the Congress over its allegation that Haryana had been pushed into “reverse gear” on the development front.Taking a sarcastic swipe at the opposition, he said, “Those who find faults even when things are going well fall into the category of a disgruntled uncle.”The remark came as Dhankar defended the government’s development record in Haryana and dismissed the Congress’ criticism.BJP district president Vikas Valmiki, Zila Parishad chairman Captain Singh Birdhana, senior leaders Sanjay Kablana and Dinesh Kaushik were also present during the press conference.
