With eye on early Lok Sabha elections, BJP shedding saffron image?

September 30, 2012

BJP-Saffron

New Delhi, September 30: While anticipating that elections may be held earlier than scheduled, BJP has been trying to soften its "hardline Hindutva" image in what appears to be a move to blunt the hostility of Muslims, and reassure its existing allies while reaching out to new partners.

 

The three-day session of BJP's national executive saw both party president Nitin Gadkari and veteran leader LK Advani condemning the anti-Islam film that has triggered violence in different parts of the globe.

 

Gadkari on Thursday cited Swami Vivekananda, whose 150th birth anniversary is being planned by the party in a big way, to condemn the film that denigrates Prophet Mohammad.

 

"It's wrong to spread disrespect towards anybody who is revered by members of a faith. We should with full conviction reassure our brethren belonging to the minority communities that we brook no discrimination or injustice in dealing with different sections of our diverse society," Advani said in a speech that was well received by the audience.

 

He suggested that doing so would help reassure party's potential allies that "they have nothing to be apprehensive about partnering with BJP". Advani also emphasized the need for broadening the NDA, saying that the grouping has to be transformed into "NDA Plus".

 

The remark acquires significance in view of the apprehension of an existing ally, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, as well as the recognition that the fear of losing Muslim support forces some of the anti-Congress players to maintain a distance from the saffron outfit. In fact, Advani's advice that party should undergo an image makeover to appear "secular" appears to articulate especially Kumar's anxiety.

 

The Bihar CM is apprehensive that the projection of his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi as BJP's choice for the PM will deal a setback to his assiduous attempts to woo Muslims away from his rival Lalu Prasad.

 

Regional players like TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, who are hostile to Congress, are loath to be seen in BJP's company because of the latter's "communal tag".

 

Though a handicap for the BJP, the "communal" brand works to the advantage of its allies, who cite it to justify their flexibility in choosing allies and taking positions.

 

On a larger plane, the same factor helps the "secular" rivals to seek to mobilize Muslims against the saffron party.


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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said the West Bengal government is not allowing trains with migrant workers to reach the state that may further create hardship for the labourers.

In a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shah said not allowing trains to reach West Bengal is "injustice" to the migrant workers from the state.

Referring to the 'Shramik Special' trains being run by the central government to facilitate transport of migrant workers from different parts of the country to various destinations, the home minister said in the letter that the Centre has facilitated more than two lakh migrants workers to reach home.

Shah said migrant workers from West Bengal are also eager to reach home and the central government is also facilitating the train services.

"But we are not getting expected support from the West Bengal. The state government of West Bengal is not allowing the trains reaching to West Bengal. This is injustice with West Bengal migrant labourers. This will create further hardship for them," Shah wrote.

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Agencies
June 27,2020

Mumbai, Jun 27: The Shiv Sena on Saturday hit out at the BJP over its charge that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) had accepted donations from the Chinese embassy, and asked it whether the issue had any connection with intrusion by the neighbouring country in Ladakh and the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers.

The Sena also alleged that those raising questions against the government over the standoff with China were being labelled as Chinese agents by the BJP.

BJP chief J P Nadda had on Thursday targeted the Congress and the Gandhi family saying that the RGF had allegedly accepted donations from the Chinese embassy. Hitting back, the Congress had said that the RGF issue raised by the BJP government was a "manufactured charge" and "diversionary tactic" to deflect attention from the LAC crisis.

"What do you mean by Congress gets money from China? Instead of responding to the issues raised by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the Chinese incursions, the BJP leaders accused the Congress of receiving funds from China," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"Will BJP's revelations about the donations stop the Chinese activities along the border? The BJP should tell what connection does these donations have with the Chinese incursion and the martyrdom of 20 soldiers," it added.

"In our country, many political leaders and parties, and not just the Congress, are beneficiaries of foreign countries. The BJP speaking about this is like throwing stones in the mud," it said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said that Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India twice in the last six years.

"He was hosted in Gujarat. But it is a fact that China has betrayed. Holding talks on the one hand and continuing with the offensive along the border on the other hand is China's old policy," it said.

In the present scenario, the entire country stands firmly with PM Modi. This crisis is not for the BJP or the Congress, but for the entire country, whose prestige is at stake, it said.

"The BJP can fight with the Congress any time later.

But now is the time to fight against China. It should speak on that," the Sena said.

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Agencies
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Tuesday said the party will review why it failed to meet its own expectations in the Assembly polls and saw a moral victory in the fact that the party's vote share has increased since 2015.

"Delhi must have given mandate after careful thinking. Our vote percentage has increased from 32 per cent to around 38 per cent. Delhi did not reject us and the increase (in vote share) is a good sign for us," he told reporters.

He said the BJP hopes that there would be less blame game and more work in the national capital and congratulated Arvind Kejriwal on his party's victory in the polls.

After winning the Patparganj seat, AAP senior leader Manish Sisodia accused the BJP of indulging in the politics of hate.

"We indulge in politics of development not politics of hate. We're against the roadblock in Shaheen Bagh as we were earlier," he said.

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