New Delhi: Playing the nationalism card, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday made it clear that his party “will not” tolerate “criticism of the nation”. The BJP intends to bank on the nationalism plank during the crucial forthcoming state polls, particularly in Assam. The party also targeted the Congress and the Left for their criticism of the government over freedom of expression but failing to condemn anti-national activities and slogans.
Earlier in the day, in his bid to enthuse the cadre, Mr Modi asked party leaders to “act as a bridge” between the workers and the government. He told party leaders that it is their responsibility to ensure that the suggestions of the workers reach the government and also that the government’s schemes should reach the people. The party also passed an economic resolution on the rural theme, which also attacked the Congress for pushing the country first into “social cronyism and then capital cronyism”. It hailed the Modi government for ushering in true “panchayati raj” by sanctioning Rs 80 lakh for every village and Rs 21 crore for small townships. The party claimed the Union Budget was dedicated to the rural poor, farmers and weaker sections.
While Mr Shah inaugurated the two-day national executive meet of the party Saturday evening, the Prime Minister addressed BJP workers at the office-bearers’ meet in the day.
For the BJP chief, who will be looking to bounce back after the party’s back-to-back drubbing in the Assembly polls in Delhi and Bihar, “nationalism” is going to be the key mantra to win the coming elections.
“Our aim should be that the party comes to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a bigger majority,” Mr Shah told leaders, according to a party statement.
With JNU emerging as the nerve centre of the debate on nationalism, Mr Shah attacked Congress scion Rahul Gandhi for going to the campus and not criticising anti-national speeches.
“In JNU, slogans were raised to destroy India. Rahul Gandhi went there and said nothing about these slogans but instead tried to justify them on the ground of freedom of expression... The BJP welcomes any criticism of the party, person or government, but it will not tolerate criticism of the country. While the BJP fully respects freedom of expression, patently anti-national activity cannot be justified on the plea of freedom of expression. It is plainly not acceptable,” Union minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, quoting Mr Shah.
Apparently hinting at AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi’s recent remarks where he had refused to say Bharat Mata ki jai, the BJP chief said that the slogan was neither the BJP’s nor the Sangh’s “but was there even before the two organisations were formed and a large number of people sacrificed their lives shouting this slogan”.
Mr Shah also attacked the Congress, saying its main focus was to ensure that the Modi dispensation does not perform, as he hailed the government for providing “corruption-free governance” and “dynasty-free leadership and giving stability and hope to people”.
Hitting out at the Left and the Congress for their criticism of the government over freedom of expression, he said that “supporters” of Maoism and Stalin were talking about it and recalled the Emergency excesses to target the main Opposition party. Without naming any party, he also highlighted the attack on BJP workers in Kerala and West Bengal. The party has been accusing Left activities of attacking its workers in Kerala and the ruling Congress alliance of supporting these activists.
He also spoke about the OROP scheme brought in by the Modi government, saying it showed the party’s commitment to the welfare of soldiers.
Mr Shah also spoke in detail about the various “pro-people” measures of the government, especially the Budget, which he claimed to be a “game-changer” in national politics. He also accused the Congress of obstructing the passage of the GST Bill for “political reasons and its arrogance” and took on Mr Gandhi over his questioning the government’s work. He also said that India is scaling new heights under Mr Modi’s leadership and the country’s foreign policy has twin goals — trade and India’s prosperity. He also said that Mr Modi’s global popularity is supplementing India’s foreign policy and both defence and foreign policies are working in tandem.
Earlier, while addressing the office-bearers’ meet, the Prime Minister advised leaders to hold weekly meetings with workers and cautioned them against alienating workers. The PM also asked party leaders to carry the national executive message to the state level and then to mandal level at the earliest.
The economic resolution “Gram uday se Bharat uday” underlined the government’s “commitment” to farmers by citing the new crop insurance scheme. It was proposed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and seconded by Kisan Morcha head Vijay Pal Singh. The Prime Minister will give the valedictory address on Sunday.
Noting that the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh and 125th birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar are approaching, Mr Shah asked party workers to spread their message to the masses. While Singh’s sacrifices are exemplary, Ambedkar, along with Sardar Patel, were most responsible for the creation of post-Independence India, he said.
