 "Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks in Rajya Sabha during winter session of Parliament in New Delhi")
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks in Rajya Sabha during winter session of Parliament in New Delhi
Raising the pitch on the issue, Jaitley also took a swipe at Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi who had visited JNU, following an event where anti-India slogans had been raised and said, “Some people are questioning the nationalism of Savarkar, who inspired lakhs and crores of countrymen. These very people are attending programmes of those who talk of breaking up India.”
“This is a huge challenge for us. This is a big ideological challenge. We should consider this an ideological battle and I feel we have won its first round. People who were raising slogans against the country have started saying they will chant ‘Jai Hind', if not 'Bharat Mata ki jai'.”
“Atleast, they are saying something to convey their allegiance to the country. This was your ideological victory that you forced them to say this,” he said while addressing the executive committee meeting of Delhi BJP.
Jaitley said while BJP’s ideology is inspired by nationalism, “it is a strange situation where talking about breaking the country is called freedom of expression. The law or Constitution does not permit this anywhere. And, it is happening in the national capital.”
In a scathing critique of Congress, the finance minister said it was shrinking throughout India and the voters will turn Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of 'Congress-free' India into a reality.
“Modiji once called for a Congress-free India. Congress has already gone out of Arunachal Pradesh. It can lose its government in Uttarakhand any day. In upcoming Kerala and Assam elections, there are clear signals that it will wind up. Indian voters will convert Modiji's slogan for Congress-free India into reality. We are headed in that direction," Jaitley said.
Asking the saffron ranks to occupy political space up for grabs in Delhi and across India, Jaitley said Congress had lost its ground and BJP is now emerging as the centre-stage party.
“The Congress’ aim these days is to be a tail-end of any political alliance. It is like the 10th or 11th batsman in a cricket match. In Bihar, they allied with Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. In Tamil Nadu, they are seeking seats from DMK. Congress is the new tailender of every alliance. This is the state to which Congress leadership has driven the party to. “ Slamming the Congress for parliamentary disruptions, Jaitley described its politics as that of a 'fringe' party.
“Mainstream political parties practise mainstream politics. But Congress practices a politics of fringe...Only fringe political parties work to stall the progress of country," he said while pointing out the work being stalled in Parliament due to disruptions.
Policy soon to create entrepreneurs from SCs: FM
Asking party workers to reach out to SCs, STs and women, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said the government will soon launch 'stand up India’ scheme to provide loans of up to Rs one crore to help members of these communities become big entrepreneurs.
“In the next few days, under ‘stand up India’ scheme, every bank branch will provide loans of up to Rs one crore to one SC/ST and one woman, to enable them to set up big industries and turn into big entrepreneurs,” he said.
He said though BJP lost Assembly election in Delhi, the party should try and strengthen its base by reaching out more to different sections like SCs/STs and women due to the disillusionment caused by both Congress and AAP.
“There is need to reach out more to SCs/STs and women and take the schemes of the government forward. Mudra Bank is benefiting lakhs and crores of minorities, SCs/STs and women and there is need for you to reach out to them and strengthen your base among them,” he said, asking BJP’s Delhi unit to gain more political space by strengthening base among weaker sections.
Jaitley said it was their duty to bring together people, who were benefited by various schemes launched by the NDA government, be it Mudra bank, Jan Dhan Yojna and other such social security measures.
