Remain unfazed when people present demands, Modi tells BJP workers

Modi offered this advice to party workers and leaders at a videoconference, 'seva hi sangathan', where he took stock of the assistance BJP workers provided to people during the countrywide lockdown

Amid continuing economic distress and difficulties faced by migrant workers during lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday implored Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers to be unfazed if common people come to them with memorandums, complaints, demands and suggestions. He asked them to keep working for the welfare of the people so that they maintain their trust in the party.

Modi offered this advice to party workers and leaders at a videoconference, ‘seva hi sangathan’, where he took stock of the assistance BJP workers provided to people during the duration of the countrywide lockdown.

BJP’s party unit chiefs of seven states briefed the PM and top leaders. Party units of opposition ruled states, like Maharashtra, Delhi and Rajasthan, and BJP ruled states of Assam, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura were selected to brief the PM.

Modi lauded party workers. He asked party units to compile “digital books” detailing assistance provided by party workers to people during the lockdown period. He said such digital books should be prepared by the party from its ‘block’ level to district, state and national level.

The PM said these books will inspire the coming generations. He said these digital books will be launched on September 25, the birth anniversary of Deendayal Upadhyaya.

The PM, since 2015, has projected Upadhyaya’s ‘antyodaya’, or the welfare of the poor, as the leitmotif of his government’s programmes and policies. The effort to prepare ‘digital books’ of assistance provided to people, especially to the poor, is part of the government and party's 'garib kalyan' policy.

Modi suggested setting up of editorial boards to prepare these ‘digital books’. He said these books should be published in three languages – the mother tongue of block/state level workers, Hindi and English.

The PM said the guiding principle of the BJP, and also of its earlier avatar, the Jana Sangh, was seva bhav, or service of the people. Modi said the strength of the BJP’s organisational network was not merely election oriented. He said the party organisation isn’t just an election winning machine, but it is dedicated to the service of people, society and the nation.

Modi said the BJP is today proud that it has 53 dalit Members of Parliament (MPs), 43 tribal and 113 from other backward castes (OBCs) MPs. He said the party has more than 150 tribal legislators in state legislative assemblies. “The BJP is connected with all sections of the society, and all sections of the society are connected with the BJP,” the PM said.

Modi said to the BJP workers that their experience this time when they went to the people was probably different. He advised them that they should continue to work to maintain the trust that people have in the party.

The PM said common people come up with memorandums, complaints, criticisms, taunts and also suggestions when party workers and leaders go out to meet them, and advised workers and leaders to be unfazed, and keep reaching out to people and serve them.

Modi said he would repeat the mantra of ‘seven S’ that he had first spoken of as the guiding principles for party workers at the BJP’s Allahabad national executive in 2016.

He said these ‘seven S’ were – seva bhav (selfless service), santulan (balance), sainyam (restraint), samanvaya (coordination), sakaratmakta (positivity), sadbhavana (harmony) and samvaad (dialogue).

BJP chief JP Nadda detailed the countrywide relief efforts that party workers have undertaken, including distributing 220 million food packets, 50 million ration kits, which were named ‘Modi kits” and a matching number of face masks.

After the Rajasthan BJP chief briefed the videoconference of relief efforts in the state, Modi termed it an example of how a party can play a "constructive role" while in opposition. Rajasthan currently has a Congress government.

Uttar Pradesh unit’s Swatantra Dev Singh recounted how one elderly man, after receiving relief, described Modi as an “avatar”.

Top cabinet ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Prakash Javadekar and Piyush Goyal attended the event.

The Delhi party unit chief said workers responded to information on social media, including from Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, when he tweeted that 200 people from West Bengal needed help. Karnataka unit chief claimed opposition leaders like former PM HD Deve Gowda have also praised the Centre’s welfare measures.