Focus on work, ignore Oppn: Modi to workers

PM steers clear of Hindutva bogey ahead of polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked party workers to focus on development and not to get entangled in “irrelevant issues” raised by Opposition parties.

Signing off the two-day BJP national executive meeting, Modi harped on the development agenda. This was seen as an attempt to steer clear of the Hindutva bogey raised by fringe elements and silence his critics ahead of the Assembly polls to five states which start from April 4.

He said the “irrelevant issues” raised by the Opposition were part of a “diversionary tactics” and asked workers to be committed to campaigning government’s “constructive work” and popular schemes.

The prime minister’s one-hour speech was focussed on the organisation’s “capacity building”, bridging party-people divide through grassroot and intellectual reach out, spread awareness about pro-rural and pro-poor welfare schemes, and requesting them to empower themselves technologically. He, however, opted out directly attacking opposition and commenting on patriotism debate which was done extensively by BJP chief Amit Shah in his inaugural address. 

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Modi told workers that “change is happening and the wheel of development is moving”, which was seen as answer to opposition’s jibe that “Acche din (good days) have not come even after 22 months of power”.

To pep up the cadres that change will be expedited through their last mile effort, Modi informed them that Mahatma Gandhi would pick up issues affecting common man, build a campaign around it and link it to freedom struggle, Singh said.

Appreciating that the BJP and the government were  marching in tandem, Modi also praised Jaitley’s budget for its targeted policies towards upliftment of rural and weaker sections of the society. For instance, it brought on a par small shopkeepers with those operating in malls by allowing them to open their shops throughout the week, which, Modi said, will usher in employment opportunities.

The rural electrification scheme also came in for praise by Modi as he urged workers and leaders to celebrate “Urja Utsav” to acknowledge that 6,500 out of the 18,000 villages which were in dark post Independence have access to power now. Of them, Modi suggested to pick those villages which have got electricity after 56 to 58 years, the home minister said.

In concluding remarks, Amit Shah said that from April 14 — Ambedkar’s birth anniversary — to Panchayati Raj Divas on April 24, the party leaders and workers will hit villages to take the message of “Gram Udai se Bharat Udia”.