BJYM will salute Netaji through blood donations

The Bharatiya Janata Party has taken Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's clarion call of 'Give me blood and I will give you freedom' rather too seriously and literally, with its youth wing kicking off a blood donation drive across the country to commemorate the birth anniversary of the freedom fighter.

The aim of the drive, according to functionaries of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), led by Poonam Mahajan, is to create a directory of 'swayamsevi raktdata' or 'volunteer blood donors' from across the country.

The organisational facet of the exercise is to associate youngsters with the organisation via the ostensibly neutral and humanitarian cause of blood donation.

The youth wing of the Centre's ruling party is keen on creating a directory of one lakh donors from every state by January 23, which is the birth anniversary of Netaji.

"For carrying out the campaign we are organising blood donation camps across the country and recording the names of those who are joining the drive voluntarily. The data collected will be sent to the Central office by January 31 by way of emails from all states," BJYM functionary Jayram Viplav told DNA.

The donation drive started on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on January 12.

In another youth-oriented programme, the organisation would be appointing 'BJYM Ambassadors' in all universities and major colleges of the country. "A large number of youth have been inspired by the ideals and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. To reach out to these youths, ambassadors will be appointed in varsities and colleges so that they can take the message of the PM among youngsters," Viplav said.