In his bid to make 'Swachh Bharat' a people's movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today initiated a chain by inviting nine eminent personalities including cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, industrialist Anil Ambani along with several actors to spread awareness on cleanliness.
The Internet-savvy Prime Minister appeared inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which had gone viral in recent months, as he asked the celebrities to nominate nine more people to join the campaign and hoped that the chain would continue.
Among those nominated by the PM are film actors Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Kamal Hassan, industrialist Anil Ambani, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, yoga guru Ramdev and the team of TV serial "Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma".
Modi also administered a pledge to thousands of people, including schools children and government employees at Rajpath for remaining committed to cleanliness to make the country clean.
"I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this...I will neither litter nor let others litter," pledged all those present at a function to mark the launch of "Swachh Bharat" (Clean India) mission at India Gate by the Prime Minister.
Actor Aamir Khan also joined the PM in taking the pledge along with Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Venkaiah Naidu.
"I have invited nine people and asked them to come to public places and work towards a Clean India. I ask them to invite nine more people too...I am sure these nine people will do the work and each will invite nine more people to form a chain and clean the country," Modi said.
The original ice bucket challenge where such a chain was created online was designed to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis— also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and motor neurone disease, which is a global viral phenomenon.
Modi also announced starting a campaign on cleanliness through social media using his website MyGov.in and other such websites, including a new website dedicated to the clean India campaign.
The PM later joined the children in the Walkathon after flagging it off at Rajpath. The Walkathon is part of steps for creating awareness on cleanliness.