Politics Plus

BJP Rajat Jayanti reminiscences
Politics is a means to serve
By Jayawantiben Mehta

In 1947, on acquiring Independence, India came under democratic governance under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was deeply influenced by Western culture. There was considerable disparity in the views of Prime Minister Nehru, President Dr Rajendra Prasad and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. In the wake of Mahatma Gandhi'sassassination, strictures were imposed by the government on social and cultural organisations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Differences in views were seen among the members of the council of ministers. Due to this, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee submitted his resignation from Pandit Nehru'scouncil of ministers and in 1952, founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.

The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was in the vanguard of patriotism, standing for complete nationalism, protection of Hindutva and service of people. By establishing a special identity, it strengthened its roots.

Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee gave the nation the slogan of ?One nation, one symbol, one Constitution, one chief?. By launching an agitation over Kashmir, he spent his life in prison?since then Kashmir has been an integral part of India. The decisions that the national tricolour will fly over Kashmir and that no visa would be required to visit Kashmir proved in favour of the nation.

For protecting the borders of the nation, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh launched a successful agitation for the ?Kutch agreement?.

A Uniform Civil Code is ideal for bringing about social equality in the country.

From all corners of India arose the call ?to construct a temple on the Ramjanambhoomi only?. We are bound by the decision to construct a fabulous Ram Mandir.

Our belief is that a Uniform Civil Code is ideal for bringing about social equality in the country. Following the Shah Bano'scourt case, the Rajiv Gandhi government by adopting a discriminatory policy over the minorities, amended the Indian Constitution?this was not correct. We want uplift and empowerment of all Hindu-Muslim women.

These views of the Bharatiya Janta Party were welcomed in many parts of India and even the ordinary public praised it.

In 1975, Smt. Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency and lakhs of patriots were sent to prison. Thousands of people holding views similar to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh refused to part from their ideologies and beliefs. Despite the state of Emergency but keeping in mind the demands of the time, we had to merge the Bharatiya Jana Sangh into the Janata Party and all of us combined to constitute the government of Janata Party. Within the government, we proved our credentials with our beliefs and fulfilled our responsibilities.

Again a political storm arose. The question of dual membership was raised and we stood firm in our beliefs. We cannot break our bonds with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; it is our mother organisation and by constituting a new party called the Bharatiya Janta Party with the same beliefs, we decided to go it alone in 1980. In this manner the Bharatiya Janta Party was founded on April 6 and Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee became our first party president.

Bharatiya Janata Party: Principles, Objectives and Views.

Unlike the other political parties, the Bharatiya Janta Party has not been constituted with the sole objective of coming to power. Enthused with nationalistic values, we entered the political arena for complete revival of India. Encouraged by the Indian civilisation'sstrength and life values, we aim at social development. We are committed to its propagation and dissemination. India is primarily recognised by its policy of Hindutva. We experience Bhartiyata in Hindutva alone. Under Hindutva, we do not believe in discrimination on the basis of religion, nor do we discriminate on the basis of caste or hierarchy. By rising above all castes, varnas, religions and status affiliations, we want to make India stronger. The essence of our belief is welfare of the nation.

With the well-being of the nation, social harmony, social equality, social justice, gender equality, antyodya (uplift of the poorest), preservation of environment, protection of family values, it is possible to bring about progress of mankind and society through strong measures. We believe in the saying: sarve sukhinha santu, sarve santu niramaya. With the desire for establishing world peace, we want to give shape to our feelings of vasudaiva kutumabakam (the world is one family).

Our first priority is national security, national unity and integrity. We are staunch opponents of terrorism. We abhor tendencies like terrorist attacks, bomb blasts, infiltaration because of which our nation'ssecurity is put to peril, innocents get killed, economic losses are incurred, obstacles crop up in the growth of the nation and because of which the nation fails to progress. For the progress of the nation we shall give shape to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay'sekatma manavavad (strength in unity) and it will be our policy. By dividing man or society, progress is not possible; we have to see this in entirety.

The Bharatiya Janta Party is a large organisation of party workers. From within the workers leaders keep arising. On the basis of their conscientiousness to duty, devotion and selfless service the party workers have taken the party ahead. While working for the party, many workers are no longer with us. Up to the end of their lives they maintained their beliefs, principles and values in life. They stayed away from power but never compromised with their principles and doctrines. Unstinted labour, selfless service, love and strength of sacrifice by workers have made us into a great political organisation.

The Bharatiya Janta Party has reached every nook and corner of India with its symbol of the lotus since 1980. We were often ridiculed that we could never form a government or run a government, but despite this, our party came to power in many states. Those parties that once used to consider us untouchables joined us. In 1987, the NDA government under the leadership of respected Atalji came to occupy power at the Center and ruled successfully too.

Our government rose up with ease through its successful nuclear test, Kargil victory, improvement in basic facilities and many natural calamities. Many such projects that the Congress could not execute in 50 years of rule, we completed them in four years eleven months. On the economic front, we managed to raise the per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product), foreign exchange reserves shot up, the cost of living was brought under control. We progressed in science and technology. We took concrete steps towards taking India on the path of making it a developed nation by 2020. Our influence in the world increased. The NDA government took the nation to high peaks of development for which the entire world is praising us today.