Poor must not be treated as political bait for 'vote bank': PM Modi

Calling on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to redirect its efforts towards the development and upliftment of the poor in the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday emphasised that they must not be treated as political bait.

Speaking at the conclusion of the two-day BJP National Executive Meeting, the Prime Minister saluted the "inner strength" of the poor, saying that they had voluntarily supported demonetisation despite facing several hardships, adding that "serving people was equivalent to serving God"

Reiterating his assertion that demonetisation was a long term measure in the battle against corruption, he expressed his commitment to changing the quality of life of the poor.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Prime Minister Modi has firmly voiced against the poor being used as a political tool to win elections.

"The Prime Minister said some people worry about lifestyle but our priority is to make quality of life better for the poor and underprivileged. Poverty is an opportunity for us to serve those less fortunate," Prasad said.

Stating that the poor have what it takes to eradicate poverty, Prime Minister Modi stated that he was brought up in poor conditions, adding that the BJP-led government will ensure that more power is given to them.

In the meeting, the Prime Minister also observed significantly that there is a need to make the political process more transparent, and spoke about political funding.

"The Prime Minister clearly stated that transparency in political funding is what BJP firmly supports. He also expressed confidence that the BJP and the NDA are in a strong position with the upcoming polls," Prasad said.

The national executive meeting which began yesterday hailed the Prime Minister's initiatives of demonetisation and surgical strikes as bold steps.

The party said, it has snatched the pro-poor plank of Congress and other parties and the poor are now backing the Prime Minister.