Invoking BJP’s prime ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that “Muslims shouldn’t be treated as substance for votes or looked down upon but should be considered as equals”.
Modi was addressing the BJP National Council Meeting in Kozhikode, Kerala on Sunday, which also marked Upadhyaya’s centenary celebrations.
Contextualising Upadhyaya’s writings and thoughts, Modi quoted him in several places to make a point about Muslims and ideas of ‘secularism.’
“Pandit Upadhyaya used to say no ‘ ang’ (part) of society is untouchable for us. But many people misunderstand BJP and project us wrongfully. The definition of secularism in currency is distorted. It runs down the ‘desh bhakts’ (patriots). At such times, let us see how we look at the minorities,” The Telegraph reported Modi as saying.
He also quoted what Upadhyaya said 50 years ago:
Pandit Upadhyaya said do not reward Muslims, do not rebuke them, but purify them. Do not treat Muslims like vote ki mandi ka maal (vote banks) or ghrina ki vastu (object of hatred). Unhe apna samjho (regard them as your own).
Modi invoking Upadhyaya is also symbolic as BJP wishes to establish him as a national icon, place him in the same pedestal as Mahatma Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru.
BJP Has More “Good People” Than Others: PM Modi
At the BJP conclave, PM Modi was all praise for his own party. He said that his party has more “good people” than others, adding that “all our initiatives today focus on the down-trodden”.
The Kerala BJP never compromised on its original character that was based on principles of welfare of the people. Other parties might have good people but we have more good people than them. All our senior leaders made us what we are today.
Stating that the government was committed to the welfare of every last person in the society, PM Modi said:
Our party was formed for the poor section of society and all our initiatives today focus on the down-trodden.
During his address, the Prime Minister also stressed the need to bring changes in the electoral procedures of the nation.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)