Accusing the Congress and its
alliance partners of only indulging in vote bank and appeasement politics, BJP president J P Nadda on Friday said for his party national interest was of utmost importance.
Noting that for some people in India, secularism means appeasement of minority for votes, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP believes in appeasement of none, but mainstreaming of everyone.
For the Congress and all other political parties with them, he claimed it is vote bank first, country last.
"It is the BJP that believes country first and party last. National interest cannot be compromised for political interests," Nadda said.
"But, they (Congress and allies) believe in vote bank politics..you (Congress) are playing vote bank politics nothing else...," he added.
Nadda was speaking at a party event here that was attended by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, among others.
Pointing out that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political will that decided several long standing issues like triple talaq, among others, he said "We (BJP) have that moral courage and political will."
Nadda lauded the restraint shown by the country when the Ayodhya verdict came out, by respecting the sentiment of the other community.
"See the maturity of our political party that believed and went through the legal system, while a lawyer from the Congress party with political colour appealed to Supreme Court not to pass judgment before 2019 Lok Sabha polls, as BJP will benefit from it.
Settling issues is not important for them (Congress). For them political gain or loss is important," he claimed.
Strongly defending abrogation of Article 370, Nadda said "it fulfilled the dream of one nation, one pradhan (Prime Minister), one nishan (symbol).It was done in letter and spirit."
He rubbished claims that after abrogation people of Jammu and Kashmir were not in the mainstream of society, he said they were very much in the mainstream and much happier.
Stating that he knows Jammu and Kashmir well as he was party in-charge there in the past, Nadda said the situation on the ground was different from what the media presents.
"I'm saying this with full authority in command...it is few family driven political parties who are not happy," he said.
Listing developmental facilities and programmes that were available to the people of the rest of India but not to people of Jammu and Kashmir due to article 370, he said its abrogation has brought in a change by providing this.
Highlighting religious persecution of minorities in neighbouring countries, Nadda strongly defended the Centre's decision to bring in the Citizenship Amendment Act.
CAA is bringing refugees, who had come to India because of religious persecution, to the mainstream, he said, as he accused Congress of practising politics of hypocrisy.
The congress is not thinking about the nation but vote bank politics, he claimed, adding, "that is why they are opposing CAA, not allowing Parliament to function.
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