<p>Jamal Siddiqui asserted that Suvendu Adhikari's statement about only supporting those who support the BJP was impulsive and not aligned with the party's inclusive approach.<br></p> NEW DELHI: BJP Minority Morcha national president Jamal Siddiqui emphasized that the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (development and trust for all) is fundamental to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ideology, reacting to remarks by West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Siddiqui asserted that Adhikari's statement about only supporting those who support the BJP was impulsive and not aligned with the party's inclusive approach.
Siddiqui said that Adhikari is relatively new to the BJP and may still be influenced by his previous political experiences with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), a party more focused on gaining power. Siddiqui believes that as Adhikari becomes more familiar with BJP’s principles, he will understand that the party operates differently, aiming to take everyone along, regardless of political affiliations.
Jamal Siddiqui stated, "Adhikari's statement was made in a moment of emotional distress and disappointment, but the BJP doesn't operate on such emotional impulses and instead focuses on taking everyone along, regardless of their political affiliations."
Highlighting the ideological foundation of the BJP, Siddiqui said the party was established to fulfill the dreams of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and his ideology of 'Antyodaya’ (uplifting the last person in the queue).
He said, "‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ is the soul of the Bharatiya Janata Party, just like a body is useless without a soul. Similarly, the BJP is nothing without 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. The BJP was not formed for the sake of gaining power but to fulfill the dreams of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and his ideology of 'Antyodaya'. The goal of the BJP is to bring a smile to the face of the most oppressed, suffering, deprived, and troubled person in society. This is the purpose of the BJP, and it is moving forward with this objective."
Siddiqui further emphasized that Muslims have been the significant beneficiaries of central schemes introduced over the past ten years.
He stressed, "Power is only a means of service for the Bharatiya Janata Party. We have always been taught that we should not engage in vote-bank politics. We need to win votes in elections because, through votes, we will come to power and be able to serve the public well. But even for those who do not vote for us, who are misled, and who consider us enemies, we must embrace everyone, serve everyone, give justice to everyone, and take everyone along. Our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritized this in his Garib Kalyan Yojana. He has said, 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Paryas'. In the last 10 years, the Prime Minister has provided services, and the biggest beneficiaries have been Muslims."
The BJP leader accused the INDIA bloc of misleading minorities and acknowledged that the BJP also has areas where it can improve.
He remarked, "There is a lack of education in Muslim society, and we (the BJP) also have small shortcomings. We, the people of the Minority Morcha, are part of society and couldn't explain our thoughts and ideas well to them. The India Alliance (opposition parties) misled them; they are like hungry wolves who only want power, and that's why they (Muslims) got confused and went astray. But they are still our brothers."
He reiterated the Prime Minister's commitment to inclusive development, stating, "The Prime Minister has said that we will support those who voted for us and also those who didn't; we will take everyone along the path of development."
Earlier, West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's remarks stirred controversy. Adhikari asserted that the BJP should shift its focus away from the 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' slogan and prioritize supporters. He said during a BJP state executive committee meeting, "We do not need to talk about Sabka Saath and Sabka Vikas. We will decide who supports us, and we will support them. Stop this talk of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. There is no need for a minority front."
Amid the backlash, Adhikari clarified his statements, aligning with the Prime Minister's slogan. "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is PM Modi's slogan, and it won't change with my words."
Adhikari continued, "That slogan was given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it remains. As a BJP functionary, with heavy pain, I kept my point forward that the BJP's state unit should stand with the party workers and not with those who do not stand with the BJP. This is a political statement and has nothing to do with PM Narendra Modi's 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' slogan."
Discussing his constituency work, Adhikari noted, "When I visit my constituency, both Hindus and Muslims benefit from all the development work. Even then, we get to hear that the BJP is a Hindu party... We are shown black flags and stones are pelted on our vehicles. Whatever we have done so far is for every citizen of the country, irrespective of religion. My statements are personal and have no relation to the party's thoughts. There was a minority morcha in my constituency. I celebrated Eid with 700 people in the Milan Utsav. And BJP candidate Abhijit Ganguly did not even get one vote. Communal voting greatly affected the BJP."
The 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' slogan was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 to promote inclusive and holistic development for all Indians, irrespective of caste and religion.