Indian National Lok Dal patron and former minister Sampat Singh on Sunday (September 20, 2026) condemned the month-long “Seva Sankalp Abhiyaan” by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party as an institutionalised campaign of self-glorification executed at the direct expense of the public exchequer, State machinery, and the dignity of the citizens.

Holding a press conference in Gurugram, Mr. Singh noted that the political landscape of contemporary India is increasingly witnessing the alarming substitution of substantive governance with theatrical pageantry, culminating in spectacles that openly mock democratic norms. A glaring manifestation of this “disturbing trend” unfolded right now during the ongoing rollout of these month-long celebrations, he said, adding that a critical examination of how this campaign was operationalised revealed a chilling mobilisation of the State apparatus.

Across multiple States and districts, administrative machinery — district collectors and police departments down to municipal bodies and government departments — was actively diverted from primary constitutional duties to orchestrate a centralised personality cult.

Official circulars issued to schools mandate that teachers and children organise massive deepotsav (festival of light) programmes, compelling classrooms to burn hundreds of lamps under administrative duress. This forced participation was not merely an administrative inconvenience; it represented a deep moral and financial corruption, said Mr. Singh. Public funds — derived from the hard-earned tax contributions of ordinary citizens — were squandered on multi-city rallies, massive cutouts and multi-crore media blitzes.

This hypocrisy, he said, became even more glaring when contrasted against the government’s own stated policies. On one hand, the Prime Minister issued clarion calls urging citizens to conserve resources and reduce oil consumption by 10% in the name of national interest; on the other, this massive, State-sponsored lamp-burning spree consumed precious oil on an industrial scale — resources that could be better utilised to alleviate the crippling cost-of-living crisis squeezing ordinary households.

He said this institutionalised hypocrisy unfolded against a backdrop of severe economic distress and skyrocketing prices during this month. Compounding this, the Indian Government has instituted a regressive 0.4% tax on UPI transactions above ₹2,000, buckling under pressure from the United States, he alleged, adding that looming geopolitical challenges like the ongoing Hormuz and Red Sea crises threatened to severely disrupt supply chains and accentuate economic difficulties for India.