Cover Story

Rajnath Singh begins his
nationwide tour in style
From Our Correspondent

Bharatiya Janata Party National President Shri Rajnath Singh is on the move. After taking over as President he wanted to travel all over the country for reaching out to the people and getting in touch with party karyakartas. He is meeting hundreds of people everyday, holding discussions, addressing public meetings at different places and also giving a patient ear to people’s grievances. No wonder he has been successful in energising and mobilising the party cadres. He has started off his countrywide tour to cover almost all the important States in the next 50 days or so.

In Chhattisgarh

A positive start

The tour began with a visit to Chhattisgarh for a day. Shri Rajnath Singh was given a warm welcome at the Raipur Airport from where he straightaway went to address the Rajim festival, well known for its rich tradition and religious significance.

Popularly known as the Kumbha of Chhattisgarh, this festival put Rajnathji in a reflective mood. In his speech he elaborated on BJP’s ideological commitment to cultural nationalism and Indian traditions. His words drew spontaneous applause from the audience.

Later, at a press conference at Raipur, Shri Rajnath Singh declared that the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre had failed on all fronts—internal security, economy, national welfare, honesty in public life, inflation and even upholding democratic values.

He demanded the immediate removal of Uttar Pradesh Haj Minister Yaqoob Qureshi for his inflammatory statement inciting the public to behead the Danish cartoonist who had made a caricature of Prophet Mohammed. Shri Rajnath Singh said, “I oppose the person who made the cartoon of Prophet Mohammad. We cannot give recognition to any such act”, but, “no one has the power to take anyone’s life”. He asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to clarify his stand on the statement of his Haj Minister.

Shri Rajnath Singh also addressed a massive karyakarta sammelan attended by thousands of dedicated party workers who had thronged to Raipur from different parts of Chhattisgarh. Appreciating their efforts, Shri Singh said that the party recognises their selfless service and contribution in taking BJP to such heights.

In Assam

Energising party cadres

Next morning Shri Singh left for Assam. His visit gained greater significance in view of the fact that the State is gearing up for assembly elections soon.

Addressing a mammoth “Parivartan” rally in Guwahati he dwelt at length on issues significant in Assam politics. He said that religious conversions, particularly in tribal and reserve belts, had assumed “dangerous proportions” and spoke for a law against religious conversions. “There should be a law to stop these conversions and we have also instructed the Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, including Jharkhand, to immediately stop such practices”.

“After assuming charge as BJP president, my endeavour has been to visit tribal and backward areas where conversions to Christianity are taking place”. He said the BJP had no objection to the social work done by Christian missionaries but would strongly oppose religious conversions.

Regretting the alarming growth in the number of Bangladeshi infiltrators, Shri Singh warned that any attempt by the UPA government to soften the Foreigners Act by bringing in amendments would not be tolerated. “Infiltration from Bangladesh is posing a serious threat to demographic profile of the state,” he said, calling upon the government to ban conversion of tribals to Christianity in the North-east.

Initiating BJP’s campaign for the coming Assembly elections, he exhorted the karyakartas “to work hard to achieve our goal of capturing power in Assam. We can do it if we are determined. If we manage to do so, we shall definitely be able to hoist the saffron flag in all the north-eastern States in the near future”.

Warning the Congress governments at the Centre and the State, Shri Singh said, “The NDA government had started peace-talks and signed peace-agreement with Bodo Liberation Tigers but only when the outfit surrendered arms and agreed to talk within the framework of Indian Constitution”. “What the Congress government is doing in Assam with ULFA and Naxalites in Andhra Pradesh is not good for the unity and integrity of the nation,” he said.

BJP Genreal Secretary Shri Pramod Mahajan, in-charge BJP affairs in Assam called upon the banned ULFA to surrender arms and contest the elections if they wished to serve the people of Assam.

“Instead of bullet they should come forward to fight with ballet”, was Shri Mahajan’s clear message to ULFA. He also delivered a homily to the UPA Government, “Atalji taught us that we should have no fear in talking to anyone, but if we fear someone, we should never talk.”

BJP President has shown keen interest in raising the issues affecting people directly and those pertaining to the country’s internal and external security. Reacting sharply to the issue of conducting a survey of Muslims in the armed forces Shri Singh called it the worst case of minority appeasement.

In Delhi

Calls for Rural welfare

In an abhinandan samaroh organised in Delhi on February 12, Shri Rajnath Singh reiterated his belief that the country could progress only if the financial condition of farmers improves. This was possible only by increasing their purchasing power.

He expressed concern that the UPA Government was merely a mute witness to the chaotic situation in the country. He called the Government anti-farmer and anti-poor because of its neglect of rural welfare. He said that instead of working in public interest to punish the guilty in Bofors case, the Congress-led UPA Government was getting them off the hook.

Lambasting the UPA Government for deputing Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee for a Muslim headcount in the armed forces Shri Singh said, “Efforts have been made to divide the country once again in these two years of the present Government. The Sachar Committee is one such effort”.

While addressing the function Shri Singh said that the BJP would continue raising issues of interest to the people. He held Congress responsible for spiralling prices of essential commodities.

In Uttar Pradesh

Equality to all

Shri Rajnath Singh paid a visit to his home State of Uttar Pradesh on February 8 for the first time after he became the party president. Addressing a press conference there. he said that BJP was concerned over the fact that India’s relations with neighbouring countries were deteriorating.

“Nepal is becoming increasingly hostile towards India and relations with China are also not as good as they should have been. All this puts a question mark on the security and integrity of the country,” he pointed out.

He said that the Congress-led UPA Government’s habit of undermining the Judiciary was dangerous and unhealthy. “Whether it is the observations made by Supreme Court on the Governors of Bihar and Jharkhand or the ruling on Muslim reservation in Andhra Pradesh and Aligarh Muslim University—the Congress has not respected the spirit of these judgements. Central ministers are making unsavoury comments and showing utter disrespect towards constitutional institutions”.

“The Left parties and the Samajwadi Party are supporting the Central Government but are opposing its policies. Does this not amount to a fraud on the people?” he asked questioning the moral basis of the ruling alliance at the Centre.

In response to a question, Shri Rajnath Singh said that while the Bahujan Samaj Party had come to symbolise corruption when it came to power, the Samajwadi Party was known for criminalisation of politics in power and the Congress, which was in power at the Centre, had become a symbol of poor governance.

“People are now realising that the BJP regime was far better than these governments and we are confident of marching back to power in UP when elections are held,” he hoped.