BHOPAL — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided it would not adopt the path of appeasement and vote bank politics.
The policy of appeasement practised by some is "disastrous" for the country, Modi said during his visit to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, where the Assembly polls are due this year-end.
Even the Supreme Court has advocated for the Uniform Civil Code, but those practising vote bank politics are opposing it, he said addressing BJP workers selected from across the country who have made effective contributions in empowering their booths under the party's 'Mera Booth Sabse Majboot' campaign.
The Indian Constitution also talks about uniform rights for the people of the country, he said.
Modi said the BJP follows the path of "santushtikaran" (satisfaction), instead of "tushtikaran" (appeasement).
"The BJP has decided that it won't adopt the path of appeasement and vote bank," Modi said.
He also said that Pasmanda Muslims, who are backward, are not even treated as equal because of the vote bank politics.
'Pasmanda', a term for backward classes among Muslims, often finds a mention in Prime Minister Modi's speeches, at party forum as well as government events, and how the government has worked for the deprived without any discrimination.
The BJP believes it is in a position to make inroads among them in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, a view emboldened by its win in the last year's Lok Sabha bypolls in Muslim-dominated seats of Azamgarh and Rampur in Uttar Pradesh.
Modi said that in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, South India, especially in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, and a number of other states, many castes were left behind from development because of the policy of appeasement.
Talking about the Uniform Civil Code, the prime minister said Indian Muslims have to understand which political parties are taking advantage of them by provoking them.
"We are seeing that work is being done to instigate such people in the name of Uniform Civil Code. If there is one law for one member in a house and another for the other, will the house be able to run? So how will the country be able to run with such a dual system?" he wondered.
"If you want the welfare of your sons, daughters and grand children, then vote for the BJP and not any family-oriented parties," he said.
Exuding confidence of coming back to power after the Lok Sabha polls due next year, Modi said, "People have made up their mind to bring the BJP to power again in 2024."
He said these days a new word is gaining currency and it is "guarantee".
It is a big responsibility of BJP workers to tell the people that the opposition (parties) is a "guarantee of scams scams worth over Rs 20 lakh crore".
PM Modi gave a guarantee that his government will take action against those involved in "scams".
Amid efforts by the opposition parties to come together to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year, Modi said, "We should not have a feeling of anger, but compassion towards those who are uniting against the BJP."
He also said those supporting triple talaq were doing grave injustice to Muslim daughters.
Triple talaq was abolished in Egypt 80-90 years ago. If it is necessary, then why has it been abolished in Pakistan, Qatar and other Muslim-dominated nations, the prime minister said.
"Triple talaq doesn't just do injustice to daughters...entire families get ruined. If triple talaq is an essential part of Islam, then why was it banned in countries like Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia?" Modi asked.
The PM further said development of villages was must for India to become a developed country.
Party workers are the BJP's biggest strength, he said, adding that Madhya Pradesh has a big role in making the BJP world's largest party.
"We don't sit in air-conditioned offices and issue diktats, we brave harsh weather to be with people," PM Modi said to the BJP workers.