How BJP governments, companies celebrated PM Modi’s 75th birthday

Several Indian newspapers on Wednesday were full of advertisements with laudatory messages to mark the 75th birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Three of the first six pages of The Times of India’s Delhi edition carried advertisements by the Delhi government and two private companies celebrating Modi’s birthday. The next three pages had at least one advertisement per page.

This was followed by 11 advertisements in the remaining pages, of which five were full-page.

The advertisements by the Delhi government and the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena were repeated in several newspapers across editions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in the Delhi Assembly. The Shinde Sena is a key ally of the BJP at the central level and in Maharashtra.

The Indian Express had at least seven advertisements. This included three full-pages ones in the initial pages.

On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched a song titled Namo Pragati Delhi – From Children’s Voices to the Nation’s Voice, The Indian Express reported. She described it as a “significant and priceless gift for the prime minister”.

Gupta said that the song, sung by students of government schools, highlights the vision of “One India, Best India”.

More than 50 government schools in Delhi are contributing to the prime minister’s birthday celebrations. More than 300 have submitted handmade...

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