JOIN USGujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday kept aside his politics of development to launch a direct attack on the “family first” Nehru-Gandhi clan, “night watchman” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and “commission seeking” Congress-led UPA government for crippling the nation like “termites”.
On the last day of the BJP national council meeting, Modi began his address to a gathering of about 4,000 delegates by saying that he was at a loss of words to express his gratitude for the warm welcome party president Rajnath Singh gave to him on Saturday.
He traced history to charge that since Independence, the Congress never thought of the country’s interest. That was the time when China and Israel were rising and India began nose-diving, he stated, speaking like a national leader.
“The BJP is a party with a mission, the Congress is a party of commissions. Commissions for all members of the family. If you rid the country of the Congress, it will be like getting independence...The British left India, we got Swaraj; If Congress goes, we’ll get Suraaj,” he said.
Avoiding naming the Gandhi family, Modi, who many in the BJP believe will be the party’s election face, said: “Sacrificing the national interest for the interest of one family is the tradition of the Congress.
“As part of the design to hold family’s significance,” he said, “they had Sitaram Kesri as the Congress president; did you feel the Congress had a president? It was as if they had a night-watchman. Kesri was unceremoniously thrown out when the time was right. Can this country accept such an undemocratic party? When they formed the government, they chose a prime minister (Manmohan Singh) who could be manipulated. And then another night-watchman but they did not think the night would become so long”.
He said the Congress finishes people who they perceive are a threat to them. Despite Pranab Mukherjee, who is now president, being more deserving, the Congress chose Manmohan Singh as prime minister. “They realised that if Pranab Mukherjee is successful then what will happen to the (Gandhi) family,” he questioned.
Promising that the BJP is the alternative to the UPA misrule, the Hindutva poster boy told partymen: “The Congress has spread like termites in the country. It is very difficult to get rid of termites. Only one medicine will work, that of the sweat of the BJP worker”.
Apart from the crowd, many in the central leadership sharing the dais at the Talkatora stadium were keenly listening to Modi’s speech which was occasionally greeted with claps and chanting of Modi as PM slogans.
The Gujarat BJP strongman was of the view that whether the party grabs the opportunity or not, “the people of these country have decided to throw the Congress out... We need to think about that place being filled by the right people”.
Prior to Modi, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan spoke but was confined to the achievements of his state, apart from having 18 per cent agricultural growth which is way ahead of the Centre’s figure.
Allowing the two successful and popular chief ministers Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chauhan to speak back to back on Sunday, the BJP attempted not only to balance out the Gujarat chief minister but put forward the two models of development as both have contrasting styles of working.
While Modi has branded himself more like a CEO bringing in economic changes, Chauhan talks more about the welfare of a large section of the society that has missed the development bus.
The BJP concluded its three-day conclave by adopting a political resolution moved by Ravishankar Prasad saying that time has come to “redeem India” under the leadership of BJP-ruled NDA. The next national council meeting will be held in Goa in June.