Take out 'Tiranga Yatras' on 70th Independence Day, Modi tells BJP MPs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked BJP parliamentarians to take out 'Tiranga Yatras' in their constituencies to mark India's 70th Independence Day and inform people about 70 achievements of his government.

Addressing the Bharatiya Janata Party's parliamentary party meeting, Modi said the 'Tiranga Yatras' (Tricolour Marches) should be held between August 15 and 22, according to informed sources.

"The MPs were asked to hold yatras on bikes while carrying Tricolours hoisted on eight-foot tall masts," said a source.

Modi urged the MPs to "work hard and study" to raise the level of discourse in parliament.

"To revive the feelings of patriotism among the youth and to make them aware of the sacrifices of our heroes, organise various programmes in your constituencies," Modi told the MPs.

Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu told reporters later that during the meeting, a discussion was held on celebrating India's 70th Independence Day.

"The government has worked out a programme schedule for the day. It will be finalised after consultations with Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah and others," Naidu said.

Modi described as successful the 'Vikas Parva' programme, organised to mark the completion of two years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.

The Prime Minister is reported to have said that due to development-oriented initiatives, people responded enthusiastically to government programmes across the country.

The BJP has also constituted an eight-member committee of Ministers of State to chalk out programmes to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder-leader Deen Dayal Upadhyay on September 25. Jana Sangh was the forerunner of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

After finalising the draft of the programmes, the committee will submit it to Naidu and Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj.

At the meeting, Sushma Swaraj told the parliamentarians about the Prime Minister's recent foreign visits, said the sources.