On course to root out graft: PM Modi

Aditi Tandon

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New Delhi, April 6

Confident of the BJP’s win in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declared that like Lord Hanuman, who emerged tougher in the face of challenges, the saffron party would continue to exhibit the firmness needed to liberate India from corruption and nepotism.

“People have started saying that no one can defeat the BJP in 2024 General Election, and that is true. But we have to win hearts, not just elections and we must guard against overconfidence. We have to fight every election the way we fought in the 1980s,” the PM said.

‘Ek baar phir’ slogan on booth walls

• BJP president JP Nadda, who hoisted the BJP flag on 44th foundation day, visited a booth in Delhi and wrote on its walls, “Ek baar phir Modi Sarkar”
• The celebrations will end on April 14, marking BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. In his address, Nadda said: “We are setting a trend in pro-incumbency”

Making an election pitch, he outlined the BJP’s campaign planks that rest on three pillars: ongoing drive against corruption and dynastic politics and ensuring that social scheme benefits reach the deprived.

Reach out to all voters

We have to win hearts, not just elections and we must guard against overconfidence. We have to fight every election the way we fought in the 1980s. —Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Addressing workers on BJP’s 44th foundation day, which coincided with Hanuman Jayanti and came a day after the apex court’s refusal to entertain opposition parties’ plea against anti-graft agencies, the PM said: “India like Lord Hanuman has realised its potential. Today on Hanuman Jayanti, we reiterate our pledge to root out corruption and nepotism.” Modi framed the upcoming poll battles in a “pro-people BJP” versus “pro-monarchical Opposition” construct, saying that “while the BJP works for the people, the Congress-led Opposition works for the self and families”. “Today the BJP has become synonymous with development, people’s trust and a political culture that takes everyone along. Conversely, there are parties captive to nepotism, casteism and regionalism. These parties with a baadshahi (monarchical) mindset have always treated people like slaves and mocked the poor and the deprived.

“In 2014, the marginalised found a voice and changed not just the government but laid the foundation for a resurgent India,” said the PM ahead of the May 10 Karnataka poll, which will be followed by elections in Telangana, MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.

He hammered the need to continue ensuring that social justice benefits reached the poorest. “For the BJP, social justice is not a political slogan; it’s an article of faith and benefits of government schemes must reach the poorest without any discrimination, appeasement and vote-bank politics.”

With political divide widening as elections approach, the PM warned BJP workers against conspiracies. “Those with monarchical mindsets have made fun of Swachh Bharat and Digital India campaigns and have peddled lies. When nothing worked, they openly started saying Modi’s grave will be dug,” BJP’s principal campaigner said to the loud applause of workers across 10,72,942 booths.

He listed landmarks reached by the country – record annual GST collections, record annual exports and record UPI transactions among others.