Bengaluru, Sep 17 (IANS): The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Karnataka unit celebrated the 70th birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a slew of programmes, including social service, an official said on Thursday.

"We are celebrating Modi's 70th birthday with service as our motto (seva hi sanghatan). Our cadres and leaders are engaged in social service activities as our gift to the Prime Minister," the official told IANS here.

Party's state unit president Naleen Kumar Kateel flagged off the day-long activities at Mangaluru in the state's coastal city.

"Besides blood-donation camps and cycle rallies in cities and towns across the state, our cadres organised special events for the welfare of the specially-abled and marginalised sections of society during this week, which is being celebrated as 'seva saptah' (service week)," said the official.

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the cadres and leaders wore mask and kept physical distance to prevent the virus spread during the social service.

"As part of the week-long service since September 14 at the local body level, our members are distributing prosthetic limbs and assistive devices to 70 physically-challenged people," said the official.

About 70 of the cadres who recovered from Covid-19 donated plasma to treat the infected at each state-run hospital across the state. Free eye glasses were distributed to 70 people at each local body (mandal) level.

"Tree plantation drive, swachata (cleanliness) drive and distribution of groceries to the poor are also being conducted through the week in recognition of Modi's service to the nation," added the official.

In Bengaluru, state Housing Minister V. Somanna led a cycle rally with 70 party cadres in his Govindarajnagar assembly segment and honoured 70 Corona warriors to mark Modi's 70 years.

A 70kg laddu was also dedicated to Modi and distributed as 'prasad' to the cadres and their families.