Sacrifice is the part of BJP’s DNA: Ravi Shankar Prasad

New Delhi, April 6: “The cloud will go away, the sun will come up and lotus will bloom, this was the emotional mantra of our leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji in 1980, and today we see the result that BJP rules the Union Government, 21 State governments” says Minister of Law & Justice and Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad while addressing a press conference from BJP’s Headquarters on the occasion of party’s foundation day.

Prasad said that broadly three categories of people opposed the party – the Leftist, the Congress and "chronic socialists other than Ram Manohar Lohia," and it was clear where all these people stood today.

He stressed the sacrifices the party has made saying “Sacrifice is in the DNA of BJP. Sacrifice for the country, country’s security and for the Country’s integrity.”

 

"The whole ideology of Leftist was imported from outside therefore they are left out. We wiped out CPM from Tripura and in the next election; we will defeat them in Kerala. And, I am saying this with humility," Prasad told.

"Regardless of the potential or talent, the top leadership of the party can go to family only, whereas in BJP a booth worker can become prime minister. And we all are proud that our party promotes such people," Prasad said.

Taking on "chronic socialists", he said Ram Manohar Lohia's socialist movement today has become a "family movement".

 

Nagaland where more than 90 percent of the population is Christian, Prasad referred to party's performance there by saying "Now, BJP is a party of all Indians and the party is with all India.”

The party has no prejudices against anyone, he noted.

Talking about the party's journey, Prasad described it in three phases. The first phase was when the party worked for the "country's culture and heritage" such as Goa liberation movement.

 

In the second phase, the party fought against the Emergency for safeguarding the rights of the people and in the last phase, the party fought a battle against vote bank politics and by pushing cultural nationalism.

"In 1984, we got only two seats and now after more than 30 years we got a clear majority because Narendra Modi emerged as a ray of hope for the people and under his leadership, India is today treated as global power and Modi as a global leader," Prasad said.

He also praised the role of BJP president Amit Shah in strengthening and expanding the party.

"Amit Shah’s leadership injected new energy into the party cadre and BJP today with more than 11 crore members is the world's largest political outfit," he said while noting that the new initiatives taken by Shah led to the expansion of the party.

Today, the BJP is a platform for all Indians with one voice, one slogan and one commitment to make India a global power, he said. The BJP is a big platform of "national unity", he added.