Aiming to showcase the G-20 summit in India in 50 places and involving civil society in the year-long event, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday made a statement on India's presidency of the global grouping at the party's national executive meeting, affirming that the country's image had transformed globally under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The party also placed another statement in the National Executive on "garib kalyan" (ruling party's welfare policies) at the Centre and in States where it is in power. The statement on the welfare policies was made by Samrat Chaudhary, an OBC leader who heads the party's Legislators in the Bihar Legislative Council.
The BJP’s Parliamentary Board member Sudha Yadav dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism about concentration of wealth with a few individuals in the country.
Addressing a press conference along with BJP vice-president Jay Panda, Yadav said the Congress leader keeps raising the same issue without looking at figures about crores of people benefitting from the Government's welfare policies, she said, accusing him of making false claims.
The attention given to the SC, ST, poor and backwards in the last nine years is unprecedented, she said. Yadav said from providing housing, electricity and water to the poor, the BJP Government has launched numerous schemes to help different segments of the society. BJP Governments in different States have also worked on these lines to uplift poor and marginalised, she said.
Briefing reporters on the statement made by Jaishankar in the closed-door meeting, Panda quoted the Minister, saying the world's view of India has changed in the last nine years.
When the Covid pandemic broke, there were concerns that India will be one country which may not manage it but now the G20 and the world in general is "full of admiration" as it not only dealt with the crisis but also reached out with help to other countries, he said.
India used to depend on other countries during earlier crisis but it not only met the challenges of the pandemic on its own but also helped others, Jaishankar said.
Panda said BJP workers will in their individual capacity work to connect the society as the country hosts over 200 G20-related events over 50 places. It is an opportunity to connect the society and showcase India's progress and its rich heritage as delegates from not only the elite bloc of 20 leading economies but also many multilateral bodies like IMF will visit the country, he added.
India has also succeeded in keeping its economy strong, he said.