Editorial...

Rajat Jayanti Sandesh:
Sanyas, tyag, samarpan

With the conclusion of its Rajat Jayanti celebrations in the last week of December BJP’s long march from Bombay in 1980 to Mumbai in 2005 has rung in the 2006 with a good omen. The New Year sun dawned with reiteration of the spirit of sanyas, renunciation and devotion to duty.

The platform in Shivaji Park in Mumbai from which Advaniji had declared that whenever BJP won, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be the Prime Minister, from that very place it was this time the turn of Shri Vajpayee to himself announce his retirement from electoral politics. Advaniji’s prediction had come out true in 1996 even though only for 13 days followed by 1998 when Atalji became the Prime Minister and made history by being the first non-Congress Prime Minister to guide the destiny of the nation consecutively for six years. It was here again for Advaniji to set, as per his pre-declared agenda, a unique example of renunciation by quitting office of BJP President and passing on the baton to Shri Rajnath Singh. That was the new message party gave out to its workers and the people.

Sanyas and tyag (renunciation) are manifestations of the great qualities in the character of men of greatness. This message should reach every corner of the country. A coordination between the spirit of dedication, renunciation and responsibility has to be evolved everywhere, be it a family, a society, an institution or an organisation. Being an inalienable part of cultural-political movement of the country, BJP has to acquire and adopt what is the best in the rich culture of India.

It was a strange coincidence that at the time BJP was celebrating its rajat jayanti, the BJP veterans, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shri Lal Krishna Advani, had completed a golden jubilee of their political life in the service of the nation. Atal-Advani team has presented a unique example of working together with complete understanding in any political organisation. This tradition and example of continuity in personal and political relations has to be imbibed and maintained despite ups and downs.

For promoting the nobler goal of protecting democracy Bharatiya Jana Sangh had dissolved its identity and merged itself with Janata Party in 1977. But when its very identity was made the target, Bharatiya Janata Party had to be given birth in keeping with the tradition of a true swayamsevak because relations with RSS were indissoluble. We did not break ourselves. We did not split up. We did not bend. On the contrary, we came out unscathed and successful. We received people’s support. From a mere strength of two in the Lok Sabha BJP ascended to the peak of political power. People shattered the myth that Congress was invincible. They made BJP-led NDA wear the crown of power. While as Prime Minister Atalji spread the fragrance of glorious achievements in the service of the nation, Advaniji took its aroma to every nook and corner of the country. The people cannot afford to ignore the role both Atalji-Advaniji played and the fine example they set in their work culture by taking everybody along and putting the country among the front-runners in the comity of nations. If one were to dispassionately compare the Congress achievements in the first fifty years of India’s freedom with those in just six years under BJP-led NDA, the latter’s basket of achievements is found to be weightier although its period in power is much smaller. The truth is a proof in itself. Today it is none else but the people themselves who are enumerating the achievements of Vajpayeeji-led NDA government.

Bharatiya Janata Party and its earlier incarnation Bharatiya Jana Sangh are the political organisations which took birth after India won freedom. These organisations enlightened crores of people of the country with the philosophy of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. We cannot forget our great founders who even as politicians led a life of hermits. It was the dedication and sacrifice of these great men that energised us to reach the pinnacle of power. At the same time, we must reiterate that power is not our ultimate goal; our goal is to take our Motherland to the highest peak of glory. For us power is not the end but the means to serve the people.

At the conclusion of the rajat jayanti celebrations, our leadership presented an overview of the work and accomplishments of our party. They made the workers identify their strength and weaknesses. After taking stock of the shortcomings that had crept in because of power, every worker must seriously ponder over the points that surfaced therein. The Mahaadhiveshan did succeed in giving a new direction to the party workers and infused in them a new vigour and a new strength in the party.

If we vow to serve the society through the medium of politics after weeding out the malaise that has got infested it and make the Rajat Jayanti Sandesh as the torch-bearer for our policy of collectivism, our sincerity and hard work will surely bear fruit.

Mahaadhiveshan, in reality, presented a true picture of a Mini-Bharat, a spectrum of unity in diversity. The very glimpse of the all-India presence infused a spirit of elation in the minds of the workers. Workers of one State got an opportunity to exchange notes and experiences with workers of other States and struck a chord of friendship with each other building more and more bridges of understanding between themselves. Unknown individuals got acquainted with each other and became friends. It generated a spirit of camaraderie all around. In that atmosphere of conviviality whatever a person may have been — an MP, an MLA or any office-bearer – in the Mahaadhiveshan he behaved just like an ordinary, simple worker of the party.

The platform of the Mahaadhiveshan succeeded in imparting the mantra of unity among the workers. The top leadership of the party once again reiterated its resolve to stick to their roots and not to move away from the very basics. In his own way and in his own language every leader conveyed this very message. The Mumbai tragedy had its impact on the Mahadiveshan because, but for it, the presence would have been in many times more than what it was. As the two-day meeting of the National Executive and three-day Mahadhiveshan concluded, senior BJP leader, Shri Pramod Mahajan, presented each participant with a memento that contained a history of erstwhile Jana Sangh and BJP, important historical pictures, a wall clock sending out a clear message to them to learn from the past and care for the future, learn from the hands of the clock which keep on moving without getting in conflict with each other. It inspired the workers to discharge their duties and responsibilities sincerely with a sense of devotion. They should work unitedly and resolutely to enhance the prestige and dignity of our Motherland.