New Delhi:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the third and concluding session of the Bharatiya Janata Party's National Council meeting in New Delhi.
Here are the highlights of his speech:- Gujarat's victory is not the victory of a single person. It is the victory of the dedicated efforts of lakhs of workers of BJP
- It is the victory of the BJP's ideology that has stood the test of time, of our people's faith in our political culture
- The honour and love that was shown to me yesterday, the credit for that must go to the lakhs of workers, the people of Gujarat and our national leadership
- After many years, the national leadership of the BJP is such that not just India, but people across the world are keenly following what is going on where
- This government in Delhi is a big challenge for us. In spite of our being there, India should have such a government - that is not acceptable
- Inflation has killed the country...the poor have nothing to eat and in Delhi, we can't even feel there is a government
- Congress had all the opportunity. So what stopped them?
- The Congress tradition is to sacrifice the interests of the country for one family. They even sacrifice the interests of the party.
- They had Sitaram Kesri as the Congress president; did you feel the Congress had a president? It was as if they had a night-watchman... Sitaram Kesri was unceremoniously thrown out when the time was right...Can this country accept such an undemocratic party? When they formed the government, they chose a PM who could be manipulated? And then another night-watchman...and they did not think the night became so long
- NAC is a bunch of 5-star activists who have no connect with the people
- Even today, I feel if Pranab Mukherjee was the Prime Minister instead of Manmohan Singh, we would have been where we are...Pranab Mukherjee has a connect with the people, understands the problems of India...but if he succeeded, then what would happen to the family.
- Congress has stifled the growth of leadership in India (cites examples of Morarji Desai and VP Singh and how they became PM after they left the Congress)
"If you want to rid India of the pest (deemak) that is Congress, the ideal medicine is the effort (paseena) of BJP" - "Hum chalein ya na chalein, hum karein ya na karein, desh chal pada hain"
- The people of these country have decided to throw the Congress out...we need to think about that place being filled by the right people
- When Vajpayee was the PM, the whole world had accepted India as an upcoming super power
- After 2004, India has lost out its global position. This is a major loss for our country. There is a question mark on the future of India
- Evaluate all the kinds of governments this country has seen and I am confident, BJP will come out on top when it comes to good governance
- What Congress could not do in 45 years in Madhya Pradesh, Sunder Lal Patwa achieved in a single term
- When we undertook the nuclear test, we were isolated...the Congress had said, it was not to the credit of the Atal Behari Vajpayee-government but scientists...But the Vajpayee government had the courage to conduct a second round of tests two days later, and that is a testament to the character of the BJP
- We need a facilitator, a catalyst and provide such governance that the over one crore people of this country can take this country forward...We must tell the people that they take one step towards the betterment of this country and India will take one crore steps forward
- Without people's participation, such a vast country can't go forward
- All BJP governments run with people's participation - a beti bachao andolan cannot run with a government circular - they run with active leadership from leaders like Shivraj Chouhan and Raman Singh
- We need to unite this country - people need to come together for development
- There is talk of economic reform, but is this reform? Administrative measures to correct bad governance should not be taken as economic reform
- When I took charge in Gujarat, we had a deficit of Rs. 6,700 crore. Today, there is a surplus of Rs. 4,000 crore
- Gujarat has given a model to revive PSUs - corporate culture, technological upgradation...We have not raised the power tariff in Gujarat and the distribution company which made a loss of Rs. 2,500 crore now makes Rs. 700 crore as profit. Why? We have stopped leakage
- The people of India are fundamentally idealistic and honest. We can appeal to that sentiment and government can work if they are honest and transparent
- (praises Raman Singh) political pundits have wronged him. He has the courage to go into the village where Naxalism is on the rise...he has given us the best model to fight naxalism and develop adivasi areas in his state...but because it is a BJP model, the Congress is oblivious to it...they don't give it publicity or adopt it in other states
- BJP is a party with a mission, Congress is a party of commissions...Commissions for all members of the family. If you rid the country of the Congress, it will be like getting independence...The British left India, we got Swaraj; Congress goes, we'll get Suraaj
- I am happy that we have forced this country to talk about development...They make comparisons with Germany and Japan - it is a matter of satisfaction that they make (unfair) comparisons with developed countries and governments run by the BJP
- The agricultural growth of India has not been more than 2%, but see what the people in Gujarat, MP or Bihar are doing...people in Delhi must see this. That is the strength of Susashan - good governance
- To save this country, we can provide a alternative
- The candidate has never mattered in the BJP - we must go forward with our party programmes
- We have no right to disappoint this country, we must go on tirelessly
- They compare Gujarat's parameters to developed nations like Japan and Germany to point out my flaws. It is good that BJP states are compared to developed nations
- (quotes Deendayal Upadhyaya and Vivekananda and more poetry) "Mana ki andhera ghana hai, par diya jalana kahan mana hai"