Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lauded his party, the BJP, for the relief work it had undertaken during the lockdown period due to COVID-19 but cautioned them that the danger wasn’t past and that they should spread awareness, especially in the upcoming festive season in the next few months.
Mr. Modi was addressing a countrywide video link with the national and State units of the party and its prominent leadership.
“Be aware and spread awareness,” he said terming the work done by the BJP the biggest “sewa yagya” (religious observance of service) in history.
“At a time when everyone was busy protecting himself, BJP workers dedicated themselves to the service of the poor and the needy. BJP workers took risks to carry out welfare work during the COVID-19 pandemic and some even lost their lives,” he said, while paying tributes to them.
Mr. Modi emphasised that the party had empowered poor and backwards and its 53 Dalit, 43 tribal and more than 113 OBC MPs, were a testimony of this. Serving people was a part of the BJP’s nationalistic approach. For its workers, nation was first and it came before anything; nationalism was inculcated in its values, he pointed out.
Speaking on the party’s Bihar unit’s presentation on relief work, Mr. Modi said some believed that COVID-19 would spread more in east India due to high poverty, but people proved it wrong.
Praising the work of the BJP’s Rajasthan unit during the lockdown, he said this showed as to how a party could play a “constructive role” whether it was in power or in Opposition during a crisis.
The Congress is in power in Rajasthan.
Mr. Modi also applauded many State units such as those of Maharashtra and Bihar in local languages, Marathi and Bhojpuri, respectively.
Nadda hails PM
BJP chief J.P. Nadda applauded Mr. Modi for his exemplary leadership during the time of crisis. He said the Prime Minister had been praised across the globe for his actions in tackling the pandemic.
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Mr. Nadda also shared details of the overall relief work done by party workers during the lockdown. He said nearly 4 lakh workers served the elderly and sick people. They ensured that medicines were delivered to such people regularly, to ensure they stayed healthy.
Senior BJP leaders, including Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal and Giriraj Singh also joined the online meeting from the BJP headquarters in the national capital, while Mr. Modi connected via video link from his residence.