Nitin Gadkari's speech on BJP's National Council

Imphal, 27 September 2012:

Nitin Gadkari on arrival at the airport and seen with State BJP leaders, including Th Chaoba in August 2012

Respected Advani ji, other colleagues and members of the National Council.

I extend a warm welcome to you all. We have gathered here at Surajkund, Haryana, which has a unique historical significance. Surajkund is known for its ancient Sun temple. River Saraswati flew around this site, and according to the Puranas, Lord Brahma meditated here.

Today, Surajkund is famous for its crafts Mela. When we connect its ancient, historical and present glory, Surajkund becomes a symbol of Prakash, Parishram and Pragati (light, hard work and progress). I as a karyakarta believe that we can move forward only through hard work and by taking advantage of the present bright and favourable atmosphere full of hope and aspirations. This is the message of Surajkund.

From this ancient soil of Surajkund, let us analyse the current scenario in the country. There is all round deterioration – in our political, economic and social life. A sense of uncertainty and unease prevails everywhere. The country is being run by a visionless leadership. Stung by ruthless public criticism of its directionless approach and anti- people policies, the government is now resorting to senseless measures in a desperate and futile attempt to divert public attention from the real issues.

Political Uncertainty

We are meeting at a critical juncture. The UPA regime has become vulnerable. It has been suffering from policy paralysis for long. The country may be heading for a constitutional crisis. The unstable Congress- led Government is thrusting upon the people decisions on certain vital issues with wider ramifications without the prior approval of Parliament. The people are dejected and are feeling suffocated under this most corrupt and rudderless dispensation and are determined to throw it out. We have no choice but to come to the rescue of Aam Aadmi.

The UPA allies are in a dilemma. Some of them are keen to desert the sinking ship. Others have been giving vent to their frustration. Unfortunately, some of the parties extending outside support to the UPA Government are busy in calculating the arithmetic of electoral profit & loss. Privately, many of them do acknowledge that longer this corrupt UPA regime stays in office more it becomes a threat to national interests. But in public posturing they appear hesitant to distance themselves from this discredited Govt. – may be due to some extraneous factors.

In this vicious political atmosphere, we in the BJP have held our heads high and resolutely exposed the misdeeds of the Govt. inside & outside the parliament. Our party has been successfully leading the nationwide campaign against all the corruptions scandals of Manmohan Singh Govt. and thus providing a forceful voice to the widespread anguish and resentment among the people.

The BJP is committed to Parliamentary democracy and has utmost respect for its institutions. We have never undermined Parliamentary rules and procedures. The BJP members were compelled to undertake some extra-ordinary steps in the last monsoon session when the UPA Govt. politicized the very functioning of the Parliament. The Congress is credited with the dubious distinction of making a mockery of the parliamentary institutions in the last six decades and has never hesitated to abuse its rules & procedures to stay in power. They have a track record of undermining the legislature, the judiciary and the media with scant respect for democratic institutions. We have to expose them thoroughly.

UPA – A coalition that protects each other

The withdrawal of support by Ms Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has proved that even the UPA allies don't trust the Congress party and that it has no respect for the sensitivities and genuine grievances of the regional parties.

The allegation of the West Bengal Chief Minister that her phone was being tapped proves the Congress party's insensitive character. The failure of the Congress party to follow the coalition Dharma is adversely impacting the quality of Indian polity and democratic governance.

It will not be wrong to conclude that the withdrawal of support by the Trinamool Congress indicates that the UPA constituents too see the Congress as a sinking ship. We do acknowledge the Trinamool Congress's decision to execute its threat.

Since withdrawal of support by the Trinamool Congress, the UPA coalition has been reduced to a conglomerate of the parties which are partners in the loot. Managing this unholy coalition as the biggest ally of the Congress is the CBI – the Congress Bureau of Investigation. The people are not going to tolerate such an alliance.

Corruption

Even when investigations into the 2G scam, the Commonwealth Games scam, the Adarsh Society scam and other scandals are underway, a new mega scam, the Coal scam involving hundreds of thousands of crores, has shocked the country.

Friends, the coal scam has taken place under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister, in which the administrative machinery as well as the process of policy formulation has been subverted to serve the political interests of the ruling party.

It appears that UPA is running a mega loot programme. Their web of corruption covers air, water, energy, agriculture, forest and mining. Corruption is all pervasive under Dr. Manmohan Singh.

After the Rs 76,000-crore Commonwealth Games scam, there was the 2G scam of Rs 1,76,000 crore. The CAG reports (Power, Coal & Civil Aviation) has estimated the scams amounting to Rs 4, 80,000 crores.

The Congress believes that like the Bofors scam, the public will also forget these scams. The Bofors scam sent the Rajiv Gandhi government packing, the Harshad Mehta 'suitcase' scam caused the downfall of the Narasimha Rao government and now the Coalgate will throw the Manmohan Singh government out. Coupled with the black money to the tune of 21 Lakh Crore stashed in Swiss Banks takes this amount to nearly 25 Lakh Crore. If this amount is utilised for public good, we can have dwelling units for 5 crore people, drinking water for 5 Lakh rural poor, thousands of hospitals and pension for unorganised sectors. The BJP and its NDA allies will intensify their Mahasangram (mega battle) against corruption with the help of other parties.

I appeal to all parties, organizations, individuals, particularly the youth: 'Let us collectively give impetus to this struggle and liberate India from the corrupt rule of the Congress'.

Wrong Economic Policies and Bad Governance

There is all round despondency and uncertainty has gripped the economy as well. How can a government, which has lost credibility, attract investors? Foreign investors are looking for better alternatives and Indian investors are moving to foreign destinations.

The policy for Foreign Direct Investment in Multi-Brand Retail has been announced in utter disregard of the assurance given in parliament by the then finance minister on 7th December 2011, that stake-holders including political parties and state governments will be taken into confidence to evolve a consensus on this issue. Even the Standing Committee of Commerce in Parliament opposed FDI in retail. During the NDA tenure, the Congress had openly opposed this issue in parliament. The country has a right to know the reasons behind this sudden change of heart by the Congress.

Economic reforms cannot be introduced without a national consensus. The Congress government has lost the mandate to push economic reforms. The successful 'Bharat Band' on 20th September demonstrated the universal opposition to this unilateral decision

The BJP is strongly opposed to Foreign Direct Investment in retail and strongly believes that it will destroy the country's retail trade.

Pathetic conditions of farmers, suicides due to hike in the prices of diesel, urea, seeds and cooking gas.

Floods in North-East causing havoc and people need relief and rehabilitation.

Chief Ministers Conclave

The Chief Ministers conference of the BJP-ruled states recently assessed the country's overall economic situation. We found that the NDA government had handed over a strong economy to the UPA. However, on account of fiscal indiscipline, wrong economic policies and indecision, the UPA squandered the economic gains and pushed the country back to the 199 situation

The BJP would like to assure the people that we are committed to such economic reforms which serve the interests of all sections – the village, poor, labour, farmer, youth and small and medium traders. Our policy of reforms is not meant to benefit only a handful of people.

Attack on federal structure

I would also like to draw your attention to the systematic attacks on the constitutional framework of the country by the UPA. The central government is deliberately ignoring the genuine and legitimate demands of the states and is imposing its policies on them. The UPA regime is continuing its step motherly treatment to the BJP-NDA ruled states. But our states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Himachal & Chhattisgarh have achieved unprecedented success in boosting agricultural production and have become the engine of growth in spite of these hurdles.

Bangladeshi Infiltration: Congress party's "Foreign Direct Investment" to increase its vote bank

There is tension in Assam on account of the Bangladeshi infiltration. There were unfortunate incidents in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Lucknow etc. There have been problems between the local Bodo society and the infiltrators from Bangladesh. In October 1993, at least 50 people were killed, whereas in July 1994, May 1996 and September 1998 dozens lost their lives in similar incidents.

Out of the total 910 "Satras" in the state, about 7000 bighas of land of 39 "Satras" has been illegally occupied by the infiltrators. Despite the 1997 order of the Guwahati High Court, the state government has not made any efforts to clear encroachments on this land over the last 15 years,

As a result of the infiltration, the demography of the state has undergone change and forest cover is shrinking.

I strongly appeal to the Assam government to urgently approve the land rights of the Adivasis and forest dwellers who are being displaced from their land by illegal occupation. The Tarun Gogoi government is unabashedly protecting the infiltrators to consolidate its vote bank and in the process is depriving the Adivasis and forest dwellers of their livelihood. This is totally unacceptable to us.

Atal ji's government ordered border fencing in Jammu and Kashmir and this helped in reducing the infiltration. The NDA government could not complete this task in the North-East. We demand the UPA government to immediately complete fencing in the North-East, evict the infiltrators and implement the Assam Accord by preparing a new 'National Citizenship Register'.

The BJP sent a goodwill delegation to the North-East under the leadership of Shri R. Ashok, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. The members of this delegation visited Guwahati, Dimapur and Shillong and appealed to the students and youth to return. I commend the initiative of the Karnataka government.

The BJP units and the karyakartas of the party's North-East Sampark Cell established contact and reassured them. In some cities our North-East Sampark Cell is also working by creating 'help lines'. I congratulate them for their campaign.

Challenges in Security

As a result of a weak, corrupt and directionless government at the centre and in the absence of a strong, long term policy and effective will power, serious challenges are beginning to threaten the country's security scenario. Recently on 8thh September 2012, the Prime Minister himself outlined these challenges at the annual meeting of the Director Generals of Police — caste violence, the danger of Maoism, the situation in Jammu & Kashmir, the spread of Pakistan sponsored terrorism in the coastal areas and cyber security. The BJP is of the view that we should strongly counter all kinds of uthreats to national security. There can be no compromise with national security. I assure the central government that we will support all legitimate steps to safeguard the country's unity and integrity. However, people of the country have a right to know the reasons behind the UPA government failure in tackling these serious challenges.

Jammu-Kashmir Report – 'Manifesto for Partition'

The Congress government at the Centre has always sought to pamper the separatists in Jammu & Kashmir. The report of the three member committee of interlocutors appears to reflect the intentions of the anti-India forces and separatist elements. It is like another 'Manifesto for Partition' of India. The patriotic people of Jammu & Kashmir and all citizens have already considered this report worthy of throwing into the dustbin. It would be better if the central government also accepts this fact at the earliest. The Bharatiya Janata Party and various nationalist organizations have been educating the public. The BJP demands that the government should immediately announce rejection of this report and respect the sentiments of the people.

Telangana

In Telangana the Congress party has betrayed the people. On the issue of Telangana we are completely with the people of that region. In Parliament we have raised this issue on a number of occasions. Even outside Parliament we have been active for many years.

We reiterate our demand for the creation of a separate Telangana state.

Hindu refugees from Pakistan

Hundreds of Hindus from Pakistan have been arriving into Rajasthan and Punjab; many of them are from Sindh and Baluchistan. They have been victims of harassment. The BJP demands that government should formulate a policy to protect the legitimate interests of the Hindu refugees from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Similarly, we demand that the interest of the Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka should also be protected.

Elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh

The BJP-ruled states of Gujarat and Himachal will be going to the polls in the next couple of months. It will be an opportunity for us to demonstrate the good work we have done under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi and Shri Prem Kumar Dhumal. The BJP governments in these two states have set new records in good governance through all round development, progress, prosperity and social justice and we are confident of returning to power in both in Gujarat and Himachal. Equally important for us will be the elections in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya.

Our Responsibility

The BJP/NDA governments are performing better than the governments of other parties in various sectors including health, education, investment environment, women's empowerment, IT, E-governance and transparent administration. The government of Karnataka has undertaken commendable initiatives in the area of fiscal reforms. In Goa, our government has adopted a unique scheme for the education of the girl child. In the area of Information Technology, the Chhattisgarh government has achieved unprecedented success. The Himachal Pradesh government under the 'Atal Bijli Bachat Yojana' has saved crores of rupees, The Madhya Pradesh government has undertaken a historic step by establishing the International Buddhist & Indian Knowledge University.

Ten point programme of action

I would like to recall the historic speech of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya at the Bharatiya Jana Sangh session in 1967 wherein he had exhorted the party to declare a war against poverty. We have to continue it till we achieve a decisive victory in this war.

Friends, we have launched the initiative of politics for development and good governance with the objective of ushering in an era of equality and social harmony in the emerging India. The cornerstone of this ambitious approach is complete elimination of all forms of discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, creed, language and gender.

I announce a ten-point programme of action which will outline the basic thrust of our objective of winning the war against poverty:
1.Provide a transparent and corruption-free government committed to good governance with focus on e-governance and e-tendering.
2.A comprehensive and ambitious programme to provide framework of an effective strategy to pull the agriculture sector out of the current pathetic condition.
3.Implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee report on prices of agriculture produce.
4.Set-up a National Water Mission with the objective of harnessing the country's depleting water resources with Reduce, Recycle and Re-use as its Mantra, and for initiating an ambitious programme to meet the ever-growing demand of water for drinking and irrigation purposes and for use in industry.
5.Formulate policies for optimal utilisation and prudent management of the country's natural resources based on the principles of Ecology, Economy and Ethics.
6.Prepare a detailed time-bound programme to promote solar energy and other alternative energy resources with a view to reducing our dependence on energy imports.
7.Put in place a broad-based plan to develop quality and affordable health services with the objective of serving the socially and economically deprived sections of the society, including poor farmers, labourers and all those working in the unorganised sector.
8.Transform the country's manufacturing sector to enable it to generate 1.2 crore jobs to meet the growing challenge of unemployment.
9.Set-up a national commission as an independent constitutional mechanism on the lines of the National Commission for Women and the National Commission for Minorities with a view to safeguarding the interests of the workers, labourers, artisans, craftsmen and weavers working in the unorganised sectors.
10.Put in place a national housing scheme to provide affordable dwelling units costing below Rs. Five lakh.

The 150th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda

Friends, the 150th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda will be observed throughout the country from 12th January, 2013. We need to carry forward his message of Hindutva which is a message of humanity. We condemn the controversial film that is insulting to Prophet Mohammed.




As a responsible opposition, we need to reach out to the people and organise them to march ahead. Let us once again echo the Shankhnaad of Rashtrakavi Shri Ramdhari Singh Dinkar: Singhasan Khaali Karo ke Janata Aati Hai.

Vande Matram

Released by
L. Bashanta Sharma
Secy (Media Affairs, BJP, Manipur Pradesh)