NEW DELHI: Twenty two months into his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the BJP workers not to get involved in extraneous issues and keep the focus on the development as his government has been able to ensure corruption free and political allegations free governance.
Modi’s call to the BJP cadre came during his closing address in the two-day national executive meet that concluded on Sunday, where issues of nationalism and reaching out to the people with government policies were the central issues. In the political resolution adopted, the BJP said “Talking of destruction of Bharat can’t be supported in the name of freedom of expression. Similarly, the refusal to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai, in the name of freedom is unacceptable.” This clear enunciation of the party’s position is likely to be its war cry in the electoral battles ahead.
Modi’s clear message to the BJP workers also during his speech where he said those opposed to them were trying to rake up useless issues. ““We should not let the Opposition succeed in diverting the attention of people. We should not get affected by them,” Home Minister and former BJP chief Rajnath Singh said briefing the reporters about Modi’s speech.
“We go forward with one issue –vikas, vikas and vikas (development),” PM said..
When asked about which issues the PM was referring to, Singh said PM said workers should not get involved in issues raked by our opposition, and should get involved in the constructive work. When asked about some of the controversial statements made by the BJP leaders and ministers Home Minister further said it was the Opposition which was creating controversies, while, the government’s focus was on development.
In an attempt to reach out to those even opposed to the party, Modi said, we are in the government we should involve key people of the society. Keeping anyone away is not a good move. Attempts should be made even those opposed to party to associate with us. “To fight negativity, there is a need for intellectual capability and content. As we are in government we should change negative people into those with a positive thinking,” he added.
Referring to the future, Modi in attempt to make inclusiveness as party’s motto, said, “we have to decide if we want to make the organisation strong as iron or big as a banyan tree which gives shelter to everyone from scorching sun.”
During his speech, Modi said we should learn from Gandhi in how to turn people issues into a movement. He also touched upon schemes started by his government and those announced for the poor, farmers, and middle class in this year’s Budget. Out of the 18500 villages with electricity, 6,000 have been electrified, while target be achieved by March 31, 2017,” PM said asking workers to newly electrified villages and hold urja festivals.
If the message from the last year’s national executive meeting expansion and consolidation of the organisation, this year’s was focus was use the 11 crore members and newly trained cadre to establish contact with the people, an advantage that the Congress had for been in power since Independence. Four cabinet ministers –Sushma Swaraj, Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar and Narendra Tomar – made presentation about the work done by their ministries during the meeting, thus signifying government’s work in these area has Modi’s approval.
BJP chief Amit Shah announced that BJP will hold two programmes. From April 14 to April 24, which marks the BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary to Panchyati raj day, to launch mass contact programmes across the country. The first three days will be social inclusion, where cadre will reach out to all villages with BJP’s view on Ambedkar; followed by meets for farmers in next three days, and finally talking to all village bodies on measures announced in Budget for them. In another programme, BJP in next 21 days hold similar executive meets at state, district and mandal level to transmit a singular message adopted at the national meeting. The ground work for the Uttar Pradesh elections, and finally 2019 elections has already begun, as Amit Shah said in his speech on Saturday.