Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted the BJP is committed to effectively fighting and countering corruption and dynasty politics, and slammed people with “baadshahi” mindset, alleging they have been insulting the poor, backwards and deprived since 2014.
Addressing BJP MPs and over 10 lakh BJP workers across the country on the party’s 44th foundation day that coincided with “Hanuman Jayanti”, Modi expressed confidence that the party was sure to win 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Modi said the party has waged war against “corruption, nepotism and crime just the way Lord Hanuman fought against demons.”
“Selfless service to the nation, a virtue of Lord Hanuman, is the inspiration for BJP cadres,” he said.
The PM said that “many people believe that no one can defeat the BJP in 2024”, and “this is true as well”, he said.
“But we have to go beyond a win and ensure we also win every person’s heart in the country,” Modi said, adding while “victories should be celebrated, we should be preparing for the next goal... We have to fight every poll with the same hard work that we have put in since the time of Jana Sangh.”
Modi said 2014 has brought a major shift in the politics and since the country was reclaiming its ancient culture and heritage.
“The Opposition parties never imagined that Article 370 would be history one day and they cannot digest the work BJP is doing,” he said.
Without referring to various allegations levelled by these parties against his government, the PM said they have been battling an existential crisis and resorting to levelling allegations and conspiracies against the ruling party. They are full of hate and frustration, he said.
“Today, they have become so desperate that they have openly started saying ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’,” he said and asserted that the support of the poor, tribals, backwards, Dalits and women among others would continue to protect “lotus” (BJP’s symbol) and help it bloom.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition, the PM said the identity of the Congress is dynasty, nepotism and corruption, whereas BJP’s political culture is inclusive.
“Unlike Opposition parties, who used the slogan of social justice for political gains, BJP strives for social justice and employment of all segments and the free ration to 80 crore is a living example as it is being given without any discrimination, he said.
“Parties fighting their existential crisis will keep conspiring against us. The poor, deprived, Dalits and tribals are protecting the lotus,” said the PM.
Earlier in the day, BJP national president JP Nadda hoisted the saffron party flag at the party headquarters. “Under PM Modi’s leadership, BJP has made groundbreaking achievements. We got the inspiration from ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ under the PM’s leadership,” Nadda said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar echoed Modi’s remarks and said India discovered its strength in 2014 the same way Lord Hanuman discovered his and went on to achieve infinite feats. “The way Lord Hanuman discovered his strength and then performed infinite feats, I think we discovered our strength in 2014 and have kept discovering it since then,” he told ANI
In the past, Jaishankar had said that Lord Krishna and Hanuam were the “world’s greatest diplomats.”
The BJP president launched the ‘ek baar phir se Modi sarkar’ wall-writing campaign across the country from the national Capital.
The BJP has asked all its workers to organise seminars and discussions on the history of the party and the achievements of the Central government.
The BJP was founded on April 6, 1980, in Mumbai when leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh quit the Janata Party to launch a new party.
The BJP will also observe ‘social justice week’, beginning Thursday to the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, one of the framers of the Indian Constitution and a dalit icon, on April 14.
