From Jana Sangh's time, our ideology neve changed: Amit Shah at BJP training camp

Bhopal, Jun 14 (PTI) Union minister Amit Shah on Saturday said in the journey from the Jana Sangh to the BJP, his party's culture and principles never changed, and hence it could achieve so much in the last 11 years of the Narendra Modi government.

Speaking at a training camp of the Bharatiya Janata Party at Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, he also said the policies of Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first prime minister, lacked the "essence of India", and that was why Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee decided to quit his government and form the Jana Sangh.

Shah inaugurated the three-day training camp organised by the Madhya Pradesh unit of the BJP for its public representatives and functionaries.

"From Jana Sangh to BJP, neither our ideology nor our resolve changed," the former BJP president said, speaking on the party's journey.

"When you introspect, you may realise that we often work more for ourselves than for the party. It's time to start working for the party," Shah said.

Speaking about the beginnings of the Jana Sangh, he said Nehru dominated Congress completely after independence, and many people who had joined the freedom movement under the Congress's umbrella left as the policies of the Nehru government became clear.

"Many felt the country was heading in the wrong direction. The policies crafted by the Nehru government lacked the essence of India, its soil, its ancient culture, its societal values, lifestyle, and religion," the BJP leader said.

"Influenced by Western ideologies, these policies felt disconnected from India's 10,000-year-old cultural legacy. Concerned by this, Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee resigned from Nehru's cabinet. He, along with other thinkers, decided to form a new party rooted in Indian soil and tradition, thus the Bharatiya Jana Sangh was founded," Shah said.

Starting with 11 members in a "small, dilapidated house in Delhi," the BJP has become the largest political party in the world with over 11 crore members, and has governments in 18 states besides having the highest number of MPs, MLAs, he said.

Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, the second chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, had once said "I see only victory ahead", and today his vision is materializing, Shah said.

Deendayal Upadhyaya introduced the concept of a party led by its workers, not by the charisma of a single leader, Shah further said.

At one point the BJP had only two seats in Parliament, prompting Rajiv Gandhi's sarcastic remark "Hum Do Hamare Do", but "from that modest beginning, we now form a majority government for the third consecutive time," the Union minister added.

The Modi government took decisive action against terrorists through Operation Sindoor and "even Hafiz Saeed, once spreading terror, now pleads with God to take him away," he said.

The 11 years of the Narendra Modi government have been "11 years of national security", Shah said, adding that Prime Minister Modi made it clear that if anyone attacks Indian soil or Indian citizens, "they will be punished by entering their own territory." The Union Home Minister also hailed the decision to put in abeyance the "one-sided Indus Waters Treaty." "The water which once flowed to our enemies will now irrigate our fields. In three years, the Ganga canal will carry water to Rajasthan," he said.

"This is what a party built on ideology can achieve in 11 years, because from Jana Sangh to BJP, neither our principles nor our culture has changed," he said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state BJP chief V D Sharma also were present on the occasion, besides the ruling party's 165 MLAs, 29 Lok Sabha and seven Rajya Sabha members from the state.

A similar camp had been held ahead of the 2023 assembly elections.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh will address the camp on the concluding day, V D Sharma told reporters.

The camp is being held against the backdrop of gaffes committed by some state BJP leaders of late, though party sources maintained that such training camps are held routinely and it has nothing to do with these recent episodes.

Last month, tribal affairs minister Vijay Shah was under fire after making an objectionable comment about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the officers who led the government briefings on Operation Sindoor.

Deputy chief minister Jagdish Devda drew criticism for stating that the Indian armed forces and all soldiers were 'natmastak' (bowing their heads) in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a befitting reply to terrorists and Pakistan.

A day later, first-time BJP MLA from Mangawan in Rewa district, Narendra Prajapati, suggested the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan came after a 'UN' order. PTI LAL KRK