CM Bhajan Lal joins Mann Ki Baat 136, backs local goods push
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma joined citizens at a Jaipur community centre to listen to the 136th episode of PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat, amplifying calls for Vocal for Local, Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, Catch the Rain, and the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign ahead of Independence Day.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma attended a public listening session of Mann Ki Baat 's 136th episode at Pratap Nagar community centre, Jaipur .
PM Modi called for mass adoption of local products and khadi under the ' Vocal for Local ' push tied to the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.
The ' Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam ' campaign was highlighted, urging citizens to plant trees in honour of their mothers as an environmental movement.
The ' Catch the Rain ' initiative was promoted as a community-driven rainwater harvesting effort under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan .
Citizens were called to hoist the national flag at every home under ' Har Ghar Tiranga ' ahead of Independence Day on 15 August .
Sharma framed all campaigns as part of the ' double-engine government ' model aligning state and central priorities.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma attended a community listening session of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat at a community centre in Pratap Nagar, Jaipur, on Sunday, 27 July 2025, joining members of the public for the programme's 136th episode. The Chief Minister highlighted key messages from the broadcast centred on self-reliance, environmental conservation, and national symbolism ahead of Independence Day.
Context
Sharma shared that Prime Minister Modi used the episode to call on citizens to make the Atmanirbhar Bharat ('self-reliant India') resolve a mass movement, urging adoption of local products and khadi through the 'Vocal for Local' message. The Chief Minister described the Prime Minister's address as prernadayi — 'inspiring' — and said the session was held with ordinary citizens (aamjan) at the Pratap Nagar community centre in Jaipur.
The broadcast also covered the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' ('One Tree in Mother's Name') plantation drive, the 'Catch the Rain' rainwater harvesting initiative, and the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' ('Tricolour at Every Home') campaign tied to the upcoming Independence Day on 15 August.
Policy Backdrop
Mann Ki Baat was launched by Prime Minister Modi in October 2014 as a monthly radio address aimed at direct communication with citizens on national themes. The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan was announced in May 2020 to reduce import dependence and promote domestic manufacturing, with 'Vocal for Local' as its consumer-facing slogan.
The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign was first launched in 2022 during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav marking 75 years of Indian independence, and has since been revived annually ahead of 15 August. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan, under which 'Catch the Rain' operates, was initiated between 2019 and 2021 to address water scarcity through community-level rainwater harvesting.
The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' drive encourages citizens to plant trees in honour of their mothers, framing ecological conservation as a personal and emotional commitment rather than a regulatory obligation.
Stakeholders and Impact
The campaigns referenced in the broadcast directly address local artisans and khadi producers, who stand to benefit from increased consumer preference for domestic goods. Citizens in Rajasthan — a state with significant water stress — are a key audience for the 'Catch the Rain' message, given the state's reliance on monsoon-dependent agriculture and groundwater.
Sharma's public participation in the listening session signals state-level endorsement of central schemes, a pattern consistent with the BJP's 'double-engine government' model, where BJP-ruled states align their administrative messaging with the Centre's national campaigns. Households across Rajasthan are expected to be mobilised for the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' flag-hoisting drive in the run-up to 15 August.
What's Next
With Independence Day approaching, the Rajasthan state government is expected to ramp up outreach for the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign, coordinating flag distribution and awareness drives at the district level. Progress on tree plantation targets under 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' and rainwater harvesting uptake under 'Catch the Rain' in Rajasthan districts will be a metric to watch in coming weeks.
The episode underscores how Mann Ki Baat continues to function as a platform for synchronising public messaging on economic, environmental, and patriotic themes across BJP-governed states ahead of major national events.
Point of View
Where state leaders amplify central campaigns to extend their reach into local communities. By personally participating alongside ordinary citizens in Jaipur, Sharma reinforces the 'double-engine government' brand ahead of a politically significant date — Independence Day. The clustering of Vocal for Local, environmental conservation, and Har Ghar Tiranga in a single broadcast reflects the BJP's strategy of weaving economic nationalism, ecological messaging, and patriotic symbolism into a unified public narrative. As 15 August approaches, expect similar listening events and flag-hoisting drives to be replicated across BJP-ruled states as coordinated mobilisation exercises.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mann Ki Baat and how many episodes have aired?
Mann Ki Baat is a monthly radio address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched in October 2014 to communicate directly with citizens on national themes; the episode attended by CM Bhajan Lal Sharma was its 136th edition.
What is the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign?
Har Ghar Tiranga is a government campaign encouraging every household to hoist the Indian national flag around Independence Day on 15 August; it was first launched in 2022 during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
What is Vocal for Local and how does it relate to Atmanirbhar Bharat?
Vocal for Local is the consumer-facing slogan of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, launched in May 2020, urging Indians to prefer domestically made products including khadi to reduce import dependence and support local producers.
What is the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign?
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, meaning 'One Tree in Mother's Name', is a tree plantation initiative promoted by the central government that asks citizens to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers, framing environmental conservation as a personal commitment.
Why did Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma attend a Mann Ki Baat session publicly?
CM Sharma attended the community listening session at Pratap Nagar in Jaipur to publicly endorse and amplify the central government's campaigns, consistent with the BJP's double-engine governance model where state leaders align state messaging with central initiatives.
