- Anganwadi workers allegedly pressured for PM Modi’s birthday celebrations.
- Saurav Das shared purported instructions via a social media post.
- Allegations surfaced amid BJP’s month-long
- Das criticized worker conditions; allegations remain unconfirmed independently.
A political controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh over allegations that Anganwadi workers were instructed to organise celebrations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday and record videos highlighting government schemes.
The allegation was made by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) co-convenor Saurav Das in a social media post on Thursday. Das said he had received the information from the daughter of an Anganwadi worker in Madhya Pradesh and shared a screenshot of the purported communication.
The allegations have surfaced as the BJP begins a month-long “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan” to mark Modi’s 76th birthday and his 25 years in public life. The campaign includes a range of outreach and service-related activities across the country.
What Das Alleged
According to Das, the communication he received instructed Anganwadi workers to gather women, light diyas and document the celebrations through photographs and videos.
Recounting the message, he wrote, “This is a message I received from the daughter of a woman who works as an Anganwadi worker in Madhya Pradesh. She says that women have been ordered to gather today, light lamps to celebrate Prime Minister Modi’s birthday, and even record videos praising him and his government’s schemes. Failure to do so has also been threatened with action.”
This is a message I received from someone whose mother works as an Anganwadi worker in Madhya Pradesh. She says women have been “ordered” to gather today, light a diya to “celebrate” Prime Minister Modi’s birthday, and even record videos praising him and his government’s schemes,… pic.twitter.com/9Aiu1FGpt0
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) September 16, 2026
Das also posted what he described as a screenshot of the message on X and questioned the treatment of Anganwadi workers.
The allegations have not been independently established. A report on the claims also noted that the purported instructions and the threat of action had not been independently confirmed.
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Das Questions Priorities
Using the allegation to raise broader concerns about the working conditions of Anganwadi staff, Das pointed to what he described as low remuneration, heavy workloads, staff shortages and inadequate facilities.
He remarked, “Now just imagine how insulting this is. If BJP governments had put this much energy into addressing the real problems of Anganwadi workers, such as extremely low salaries (Rs 5,000 to 10,000), heavy workload, shortage of staff, lack of social security or health facilities, and Anganwadi centres operating in dilapidated buildings, then perhaps these women would not have needed anyone to order them to praise them.”
Das further questioned whether public appreciation should be generated through organised activities rather than emerging from people’s own experiences with government programmes.
He added, “If a government has truly changed their lives, gratitude towards the government and the Prime Minister will naturally arise in their hearts. But today these governments are more focused on generating gratitude and admiration towards the Prime Minister through elaborate and high-pressure PR activities.”
BJP Launches Seva Drive
The allegations come on the same day the BJP launched its month-long “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan” to mark Modi’s birthday and 25 years of his public life.
The campaign, running from September 17 to October 17, features activities ranging from public-service programmes and cleanliness drives to outreach initiatives, school-based events and social media engagement. Reports on the campaign said it is designed to operate from the booth level upwards.
One of the initiatives involves “Aashirwad Ka Diya”, under which BJP workers are reaching out to people at the grassroots level. The party has also planned programmes involving beneficiaries of government schemes, women, youth and local communities.
The scale of the celebrations has also extended to Uttar Pradesh, where a motorcycle yatra linking Varanasi and Vadnagar is among the headline events marking the occasion.
Bike Yatra Links Kashi, Vadnagar
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were scheduled to flag off the “Seva Sankalp Bike Yatra” from the Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi on Thursday.
The motorcycle rally is planned to travel towards Vadnagar in Gujarat, Modi’s birthplace, as part of the wider month-long campaign. BJP leaders and other senior figures were expected to participate in the launch and associated programmes.
The campaign is also marking Modi’s 25 years in public life, with the BJP organising events across states and at the grassroots level.
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Allegation Amid Celebrations
The Madhya Pradesh controversy has therefore emerged alongside a large-scale political and organisational campaign surrounding the Prime Minister’s birthday.
Das’s allegation specifically concerns the purported involvement of Anganwadi workers and the alleged pressure to organise events and produce praise-oriented videos. While the screenshot and account have been circulated publicly, there has been no independent confirmation of the alleged directive or the claimed consequences for workers who did not comply.
The distinction is significant as BJP- and government-linked birthday programmes are being conducted separately across the country. The reported campaign includes activities aimed at public outreach and service, while the specific allegation involving Madhya Pradesh Anganwadi workers remains a claim raised by Das.
