Seeking to make his Government’s stated “tilt” towards the economically-deprived loud and clear, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted that his dispensation was not there merely for “changing or improving life styles” but was rather authentically focused on improving the “quality of lives of poor” in the country.
The Prime Minister, who was speaking towards the end of the two-day National Executive meeting of the BJP, asked his party to use its organisational strength to win over the poor as “Garib ki seva Prabhu ki seva ke saman hain” (serving people amounts to serving God).
Saluting the people for “voluntarily supporting the historic decision” of demonetisation as, he said, they know it was an effective weapon to end corruption.
People have owned up note ban and backed it despite “difficulties” in the last two months which also reflected the inner strength of society, particularly the underprivileged, Modi said.
In 45-50 minute address, the PM emphasised on the uplift of poor and the Government’s priority to bring about a real and permanent change in their lives. “Some small numbers worry about changing or improving life styles, but our Government’s priority is to improve quality of life of poor and underprivileged,” he outlined.
Modi said for his party poor were not a medium to win elections and “not a mere vote bank”. Appreciating the poor for accepting “all the programmes” initiated by his Government since 2014, Modi said he knew the aspirations of the poor since he himself was born in a poor family.
He added that poor people want basic amenities in their lives and their happiness when a lamp post is set up outside their homes will far outshine the happiness of those elated over a good feast.
In his passionate address, the PM cited a Sanskrit shloka from “Puran” saying that he doesn’t covet power, heaven or a second life, but only to improve the lives of the poor.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who briefed the media later, described the PM’s speech as “the best” he heard from a BJP leader. Asked whether commitment to “poor” was previously dormant in the BJP, Prasad retorted, “The BJP’s commitment was latent, (now) made patent”.
The PM also strongly batted for transparency in political funding and called for consensus on the issue among political parties. Supporting electoral reforms, Modi said as the culture of transparency is emerging in the country, there is also a need for “transparency in political funding” towards which “the BJP will play an important role”.
Modi categorically maintained that only the right and deserving candidates will be given the tickets to contest the upcoming elections and said pressurising on this issue is wrong.
He added criticism is welcome from any quarters and asked partymen not to be unnerved by such talks as “our honesty” would “lead us forward on our way”. “BJP ke karyakarta hava main bahte nahin hain, hava ka rukh mod sakte hain (BJP workers are not carried away by the trend but they create the trend),” he said, exhorting party men in the meeting.
Modi said Assembly polls will go in the BJP’s favour and the party workers should concentrate at booth-level monitoring.