BJP rolls out ‘Saugat-e-Modi’ for minority outreach

New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday launched a nationwide programme to reach out to the minority communities, starting with the distribution of ‘Saugat-e-Modi’ kits among Muslims ahead of Eid celebrations.

The minority wing of the BJP will distribute 32 lakh ‘Saugaat-e-Modi’ kits to the poor across the country.

BJP Minority Morcha national president Jamal Siddiqui, who rolled out the initiative, said kits will be now provided to poor among Muslim communities. In the coming days, similar kits will also distributed to the poor among other minorities as well. Kits will contain eatables and clothes for women.

Siddiqui said as many as 32,000 BJP minority morcha workers, including office-bearers of state, district and mandal-level units have been engaged to implement the programme.

“Our karyakartas will meet people in their respective areas across the country and give them kits, greeting Eid Mubarak on behalf of the prime minister,” he said.

“The programme was launched in Delhi and other states in the country today. We have set a target that each of our karyakartas should reach out to at least 100 people with Saugat-e-Modi kits under the programme, greeting Eid Mubarak on behalf of the prime minister,” he added.

Siddiqui said the programme will continue beyond Eid to greet members of other minority communities, including Sikhs and Christians, on their respective festivals like Baisakhi and Easter to be celebrated next month.

Tactic to get votes: Oppn

Opposition MPs called the programme as a tactic to get votes.

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav said the BJP would do anything for votes.

“The BJP and its people should celebrate every festival. Samajwadis have always believed that all festivals should be celebrated be it of any religion. It is a matter of happiness that the BJP is now celebrating festivals on a large scale. The BJP is such a party that it would perform anything to get even a single vote,” said Yadav.

Congress MP Ranjit Ranjan called it “crocodile tears”. “These are crocodile tears. Bihar elections are coming and they are asking for votes in ‘saugat’. If he is so keen, he should provide employment in Bihar. This is just for the sake of votes,” she said.

(With PTI inputs)