'Swachh Bharat': Tendulkar, Priyanka Chopra, Aamir Khan accept PM Modi's 'Clean India' invite

NEW DELHI: Accepting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ' Swachh Bharat' invitation, prominent personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, Baba Ramdev and Priyanka Chopra gave a thumbs-up to the idea of a 'Clean India'.

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Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar posted a small video on his official Facebook page saying, "It's a great idea for our country to do a clean-up act. I humbly accept Narendra Modi ji's challenge." He also tweeted about accepting the challenge.

I humbly accept the challenge ... https://t.co/eGw712nT7z

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 2, 2014

Actress Priyanka Chopra acknowledged that 'every action we take will be important'. "I humbly accept respected Prime Minster Narendra Modiji's challenge. This is an idea that is long overdue," Chopra tweeted. "If we dont get involved & support this campaign, nothing can happen. But if we come together we can make a difference," she said.

If we dont get involved & support this campaign, nothing can happen. But if we come together we can make a difference. #CleanIndiaCampaign

— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) October 2, 2014

Actor Aamir Khan, who shared the stage with PM Modi at the launch of 'Swachh Bharat' mission, also tweeted, "Sirf ek kadam...", with a picture of the campaign's logo.

Sirf ek kadam... pic.twitter.com/vbA8xE4bLd

— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) October 2, 2014

(PM Narendra Modi with actor Aamir Khan at a walkathon after the launch of the nationwide cleanliness campaign, the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' at Rajpath. PTI)

Baba Ramdev tweeted, "#MyIdeaofSwachhBharat is #CleanIndia on roads, sanitation for all and every citizen with swachh and spiritually pious heart."

#MyIdeaofSwachhBharat is #CleanIndia on roads, sanitation for all and every citizen with swachh and spiritually pious heart

— Swami Ramdev (@yogrishiramdev) October 2, 2014

In his bid to make 'Swachh Bharat' a people's movement, Modi 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".

Earlier, the Prime Minister wielded the broom himself by sweeping clean a pavement in Valmiki Basti, a colony of sanitation workers. Seeing dirt at the Mandir Marg police station on his way to the "Swachh Bharat" mission launch at India Gate, he stopped and cleaned it himself and directed the cops present there to complete the task.

(Prime Minister Narendra Modi wields the broom during a surprise visit to the Mandir Marg Police Station after launch of 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI)

(With inputs from PTI)