New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday held a national executive meeting at the NDMC Convention Centre in New Delhi where Prime Minister Narendra Modi he spoke extensively on BJP’s ambitious ‘Sewa Hi Sangathan’ drive.
The meeting was attended by 342 people, including Union Ministers G Kishen Reddy, Anurag Thakur, and Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Chief Ministers Pramod Sawant (Goa), N. Biren Singh (Manipur), Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand), who presented their views on the party’s political resolution.
Veteran leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi attended the crucial meeting virtually. The meeting was inaugurated by PM Modi and party president JP Nadda.
This is the first in-person national executive meeting that the BJP has had since the pandemic began in March 2020. It comes at a crucial time ahead of Assembly election to five states that will be held early next year.
The political resolution, which was moved by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and supported by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai, highlighted 18 issues. Talking to media after the meeting, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the resolution proposed by Adityanath was passed in the meet.
On why Adityanath was chosen to move a resolution, TOI quoted Sitharaman as saying, “Yogi Adityanath is a senior leader of the BJP. He is the Chief Minister of the country’s largest state, had served as Member of Parliament and done a stupendous job to help people during Coronavirus pandemic. So why he should not have been called to move a resolution?”
Important points discussed at the meeting.
Farmers’ Protest
It discussed steps taken by the government to facilitate farmers. It said that under Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Rs 1.53 lakh crore was transferred directly to the bank accounts of farmers, MSP increased by 1.5 times, and Kisan Debit Cards were distributed.
After the meeting concluded, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “We are open for talks. Please tell us what you are opposed to in the laws. We have not been told what the objection is and their (farmers’) story is incomplete. We are still willing to listen to the farmers.”
Upcoming Elections
The meeting also discussed the upcoming Assembly polls and strategy to work at booth levels, and recently held polls in Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal.
It also discussed on the performance in the recently held elections in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam. The bypolls were also talked about.
Addressing the party’s national executive, Nadda reached out to Sikhs, who are in majority in poll-bound Punjab, by listing a number of measures the Modi government has taken for the community, including expediting action against 1984 riots accused, facilitating foreign grants to gurudwaras and keeping langar outside the purview of the Goods and Services Tax.
Union Minister Yadav said that the saffron party will contest all seats in the upcoming polls in Punjab.
COVID-19 and Vaccination
The political resolution noted that on the vaccination front, India’s image has strengthened on the world stage, but opposition parties raised questions over it.
It also hailed the government for completing 100 crore vaccinations.
Besides, the Union government was congratulated for “taking care of human lives” and “providing free food for eight months for 80 crore people” during lockdown last year.
A discussion was held regarding election strategy in seven states that will go to Assembly polls next year.
The seven states slated to go to Assembly elections in the year 2022 are Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.
Climate Change
Regarding the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow which PM Modi attended, the party discussed India’s international position on climate change and how to fulfill the nation’s obligations for 2030 and 2070.
PM Modi’s ‘panchamrit’ on climate change was discussed as a new aspect that strengthened India’s commitments.
Jammu and Kashmir
‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ and fast-paced development in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 also found a mention in the resolution.
Discussions were also made how after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the Block Development Councils and District Development Council elections were conducted and how people are willing to come out to participate in democratic processes.”
“A statistics I’d like to highlight is the Industry Promotion Scheme worth Rs 28,400 crore, which was launched in Jan 2021, for Jammu and Kashmir. 54 projects worth Rs 56,201 crore have also been launched. Today, because of the Jan Aushadhi Yojana, affordable medicines are being made available to the poor and middle class. Also, over 75,000 health and wellness centres have been set up,” the finance minister said.
Post Poll Violence
The BJP which has been facing a setback in West Bengal after it failed to throw out the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC from power – with several leaders who had joined the party from the TMC walking out soon after – said it would “stand like a rock” with the state unit and the people despite the “violence and atrocities” against its workers. “We will fight back democratically, the party has decided,” Dharmendra Pradhan said.
“We will stand by them during all legal processes and will support every BJP worker in the party in Bengal,” Sitharaman said.