NEW DELHI, July 20: BJP President Rajnath Singh today sought to clear the air on the recent controversy sparked by his remarks against the English language and said he has been quoted out of context.
Singh, who is on a five-day visit to the US, said on micro-blogging site Twitter “Reached New York today. Came to know about the controversy over my speech on English language. I have been quoted out of context.
He said people of India have now realised that BJP is the only solution after comparing the performance-oriented NDA government and corruption-ridden inefficient Congress-led UPA dispensation, he said.
The performances of several BJP–ruled states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh are there for the people to see and if these states can provide 24 hour power supply, clean and efficient government, fillip to industries compared to poor performance of many Congress-ruled State governments what would people prefer? People have made up their mind, he said.
Detailing steps taken by the BJP to face the national elections in 2014, he said the party had brought changes in organisational level by forming polling booth committees in every booth.
“We have formed a committee consisting of 10 to 15 party men at grass root level to strengthen the organisation at village level,” he said.
Congress ruled for 10 long years at national level and what are their achievements other than “wholesale corruption and compromise” in national and international security, he asked.
Indian voters have now realised that when the Centre can’t guarantee growth rate of five per cent or less, the growth rate in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are approximately 10 per cent. No one can fool Indian voters any more, he said.
On the recent debacle of the party in Karnataka and setbacks in other states, the BJP President said assembly elections and municipal polls are different from parliament elections where people vote for a stable government.
Congress will be out of power soon, he said.
“We are confident that the failure of the Congress government will help BJP return to power in the center. Any political party that aspires to come to power should give good governance and satisfy the needs of the people. If they fail in this front, they will be out of power.”
There is wholesale failure of the UPA government on economic front, compromise on internal and external security and diplomatic fronts as well, he said, adding people are demanding a change very badly.
“If people want any change, the only choice is BJP who can provide an alternative to this government,” he said.
On allies deserting the party, he said BJP would try to get a clear majority in Lok Sabha polls but at the same time will not forget its allies – old and new.
“Despite a clear majority in sight, we want our allies to participate in the government at the centre. Now we have Shiv Sena and Shironmani Akali Dal and may get some nearer to the elections. There is also a possibility of post poll alliance with like minded parties if there is a need,” he said.
In the coming Lok Sabha elections, Congress will be routed in Andhra Pradesh due to its ambiguity in Telengana issue. The BJP is the only national party that favors separate Telengana and it was passed as a resolution in our national executive committee meeting, he said.
There is no ambiguity in the BJP unlike the Congress camp in the matter and BJP is in favour of Telengana. But it’s not in favour of bifurcation of UP and other states as Telengana issue is a totally different one.
“BJP government will consider instituting an inquiry commission to go into the corruption and scandals of the Congress government and will provide transparent and honest government with people’s interest as uppermost,” he said.
Ananth Kumar, BJP general secretary and chairman of Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee who is accompanying Singh on the US tour, said the four member BJP delegation will meet members of the US Senate and House of Representatives from both sides of the aisle – Democratic Party and the Republicans especially members of the Congressional Caucus of Indians and Indian Americans at the Capitol Hill.
Kumar said Singh’s visit to the US is a two track outreach programme – to assess the mood of three million Indian-Americans across the nation who occupies important and powerful positions besides being opinion makers. It’s part of outreach programme to meet the Indian Diaspora.
The other two members of the delegation are Trivedi, party spokesman and advisor to the BJP President and Jolly, BJP’s national convener for Overseas Affairs.
Jolly said, “We (BJP) want to work closely with Non Resident Indians.” BJP clearly is of the view India and the US has a close correlation in internal and external security and a strategic partner being natural allies, he said.
Singh said it was NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee that gave voting rights to NRIs and introduced Overseas Citizens Card (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card. It was under Vajpayee’s leadership that the first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was held in 2003 in New Delhi to bring all the NRIs and Diaspora Indians to work for the welfare of India.
On the spate of killing of Hindu and BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu, he said he would appeal to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to give protection to party leaders.
“I appeal to Jayalalithaa to help stop the killing of Hindu and BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu. We will try to build pressure on state government so that it takes it seriously to put an end to such killings,” Singh said. (PTI)
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