On BJP foundation day, PM Modi talks about dynasty politics, democracy

While addressing the party’s workers on the BJP’s 42nd Foundation Day, Modi also took a dig at opposition parties as he differentiated between his party, which he said is into politics and is devoted to the nation, and those “that are devoted to families”. “There are still two kinds of politics going on in this country. One is the politics of family devotion and the other is committed to patriotism. These people may be in different states, but they remain connected by the strings of dynasty politics, covering each other’s corruption. At the national level and in some states, there are some political parties that work only for the interests of their families. In dynasty governments, the members of the family have control over the local body to Parliament,” the Prime Minister said during his virtual address on the occasion.

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“Such family parties have never allowed the youth of this country to progress, they have always been betrayed by these parties. Today, we should be happy and proud that the BJP is the only party that has come up with this challenge to fight against. The BJP has succeeded in making it an electoral issue also. I am happy that the youth in this country started realising that the family parties are the worst enemies of democracy as they do not understand the Constitution, its values, and its principles. We are fighting against such parties with principles and values,” he added. “Humare liye rajneeti aur rashtraneeti sath sath chalte hain (For the BJP, politics and national policy go hand in hand).”

‘Our struggle will go on’

In the backdrop of the BJP accusing West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of unleashing violence against its workers in that state, Modi said his party’s “struggle will go on till the anti-democratic forces are defeated and democratic principles are established.”

In an apparent reference to the developments in West Bengal, where BJP leaders have accused the TMC of indulging in violence against its workers, Modi said, without naming the state, “We are fighting against such parties that do not care about democratic principles. Some of our workers have sacrificed their lives. I am giving you an assurance that the party will continue to struggle in those states and will fight till the anti-democratic forces are defeated. Our struggle will go on till the democratic principles are established,” he said.

TMC leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has recently written to non-BJP chief ministers expressing “deep concern over the direct attacks” on the country’s institutional democracy by the BJP through central agencies. The letter came in the wake of the CBI investigating the Rampurhat massacre in Birbhum in which eight people, including women and a child, were burnt to death following the murder of a TMC gram panchayat leader. The BJP has sent a fact-finding team that accused the TMC of extortion, goonda tax, cut money, and rivalry among the beneficiaries of illegal gains. But Banerjee reacted saying the report was “vindictive” in nature.

Focus on women

In his address, the Prime Minister also said that the government’s policies and welfare measures for women have given them fresh confidence and they started supporting the BJP in electoral battles. “With the Dalits, weaker, backwards, and youth, women also joined in supporting the BJP. We have seen this in the recent elections—women were at the forefront in voting for the BJP. Women have been given new rights, good governance has given them security and keeping their health in mind, there are schemes for providing them gas connection, free ration and health benefits.”

These have given them new confidence and financial empowerment and this gives a new direction to India’s progress, he said adding that the responsibility of the party workers is to “infuse confidence in them.”

According to Modi, voters in the past were in dismay as they felt no government makes any difference. He said the BJP governments have changed that situation and people started having confidence in India “that is not scared of anyone”. The Prime Minister said in a highly polarised world, the world is seeing India as a country that cares and stands for humanity.

BJP has a ‘huge responsibility

The BJP’s foundation day was important for three reasons including the “fast-changing world and global order”, the Prime Minister said. “For India, new possibilities are emerging constantly,” he said.

Besides this, he said, with India set to celebrate its 75th year of Independence, with the BJP being the party that won the recent elections as well as becoming the only one that crossed the 100 mark in its Rajya Sabha strength, the party has “huge responsibility at the international and national levels.” “A few weeks ago, the BJP’s ‘double-engine sarkar (government)’ returned in four states. And after three decades any party has reached the 100-mark in Rajya Sabha,” said Modi.

“Our government is working for the people… We have policies, good intentions, decision powers and determination. We fulfil our promises and meet our targets,” he said, urging the workers to take every programme of the government to the people.