Pralhad Joshi leads Swachh Bharat drive in Hubballi on Gandhi Jayanti
Synopsis
On Gandhi Jayanti, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi took to the streets of Hubballi — broom in hand — to lead a ward-level cleanliness drive under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, invoking Gandhi's and Shastri's legacies to push a citizen-first sanitation message in Karnataka.
Key Takeaways
Pralhad Joshi participated in a Swachh Bharat cleanliness drive in Hubballi on 2 October 2026 , Gandhi Jayanti.
The drive covered Wards 36, 37 and 38 of the Hubballi-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency .
Joshi swept streets and took part in garbage collection as part of the 'Swachh Ward-Sundar Ward' campaign.
The minister cited Mahatma Gandhi 's cleanliness ideals and Lal Bahadur Shastri 's 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' slogan in his address.
Local BJP leaders, a Rajya Sabha MP, an MLA, and Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation members attended.
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Friday, 2 October participated in a cleanliness drive in Hubballi, Karnataka, marking the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. The minister swept streets and helped collect and dispose of garbage as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the city.
What the Drive Covered
Joshi took part in the 'Swachh Ward-Sundar Ward' awareness campaign organised across Wards 36, 37 and 38 of the Hubballi-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency. Civic workers, elected representatives, and party functionaries joined the minister for the on-ground cleanliness effort, which included street sweeping and waste collection.
What the Minister Said
Speaking at the event, Joshi paid floral tributes to portraits of Gandhi and Shastri and invoked their legacies as a call to civic action. 'Mahatma Gandhi made truth, justice, ethics, simplicity and cleanliness an integral part of his life and remained an ideal for society. His simple personality and lifestyle continue to inspire people,' he said.
Recalling Shastri's contribution, Joshi cited his iconic slogan: 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,' noting that it underscored the nation's dependence on its soldiers and farmers. 'His simple life, honesty and commitment to national service will always remain an inspiration,' the minister added.
Connecting the Drive to Swachh Bharat
Joshi described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan as a living realisation of Gandhi's vision of a 'clean India and healthy India,' saying it had evolved into a genuine people's movement. He urged citizens to segregate wet and dry waste at the household level and refrain from littering public spaces. 'Keeping not only our homes but also our neighbourhoods and public places clean is the duty and responsibility of every citizen,' he said.
Who Attended
The event was attended by Rajya Sabha member Prof. M. Nagaraj, Member of Legislative Assembly Mahesh Tenginakai, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district president Tippanna Majjagi, and Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation members Rajanna Koravi and Umesh Koujageri, among others. The participation of civic workers alongside elected officials was intended to reinforce the campaign's community character.
The event aligns with a broader pattern of Gandhi Jayanti being used as an annual anchor for public sanitation campaigns; similar drives have been held across constituencies since the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan's launch in 2014. The next phase of awareness efforts under the campaign is expected to continue through the coming weeks in Karnataka.
Point of View
But the real metric — whether Hubballi-Dharwad's sanitation indicators have actually improved over a decade — rarely surfaces in these events. The appeal to segregate wet and dry waste at the household level is welcome; Karnataka's urban local bodies have long struggled with that last-mile challenge. Without reporting on compliance and infrastructure gaps, the campaign risks remaining ceremonial.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Swachh Ward-Sundar Ward' campaign in Hubballi?
It is a ward-level cleanliness awareness initiative organised under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, targeting specific municipal wards in the Hubballi-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency. The campaign involves street sweeping, garbage collection, and public messaging on waste segregation.
Why was the cleanliness drive held on 2 October?
2 October is observed as Gandhi Jayanti, marking Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, and also coincides with the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. The date has been used annually since 2014 as a flagship moment for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan events across India.
What did Pralhad Joshi appeal to citizens?
Joshi urged citizens not to litter public spaces and to segregate wet and dry waste at the household level for proper disposal. He called on everyone to join hands in building a 'clean, beautiful and healthy society.'
Who else participated in the Hubballi cleanliness drive?
Rajya Sabha member Prof. M. Nagaraj, MLA Mahesh Tenginakai, BJP district president Tippanna Majjagi, and Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation members Rajanna Koravi and Umesh Koujageri were among those present, along with civic workers.
What is the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a nationwide cleanliness and sanitation campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, aimed at realising Mahatma Gandhi's vision of a clean India. It covers urban and rural sanitation, open-defecation-free targets, and public hygiene awareness.
