Asking party workers to protect and carry forward BJP's "nationalist" identity, its chief Amit Shah today cautioned them against complacency and said they should ensure that it emerges victorious "from panchayats to Parliament" in next 25 years.
Addressing party workers on completion of 36 years of party's formation, the BJP President said, "BJP's identity is that of a nationalist party and it is the responsibility of our generation to take this identity forward. It is our responsibility to protect this nationalist identity."
"What BJP is today is due to the sacrifices of three generations of party workers who worked to protect the ideology and 'Bharat Mata' and BJP workers should remember this and not let the sacrifices be frittered away," he said.
"We should not lose out on our unique identity. For us, power is not a purpose, but a means," said Shah, who started and ended his slogan with the slogan "Bharat Mata ki Jai".
He said for BJP, power is a means to empower the poor and downtrodden and asked party workers to help light a lamp in the life of every poor by helping them benefit from the social security initiatives and schemes started by Modi Government.
"We do not do politics of cunningness, but of character," he said, asking partymen to strive in being a bridge between the people and the government.
Shah said the party is fortunate to have leadership of Narendra Modi, whom he described as "the most popular leader in the world".
"I consider our workers today as very fortunate that they are working for a party at the time when it is at height of success. But friends, it is our responsibility not to make or consider it as a pinnacle, but to take the party to greater heights. If we consider this success as a pinnacle and think the party has reached great heights, there will be complacency," Shah said.
He asked partymen to strive for building an unmatched organisation "before which all others in the world should look small".
"Today I appeal to workers to make BJP such a strong party that in the next 25 years it should emerge victorious in all polls from panchayats to Parliament. I urge partymen from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Assam to Gujarat that it is your responsibility to erect such a party structure before which all other structures in the world should look small," he said.
The BJP chief said the party has stood by its principles, has a different identity and is in politics with the purpose of making 'Bharat Mata' into a 'vishwa guru' (global leader).
Shah's message comes in the midst of a raging debate on nationalism, also made a major poll plank by the party in the ongoing Assembly elections in five states.
The BJP chief was also asked about media reports on
unscrupulous elements carrying out a "counter surgical strike" by devising ways of turning black money into "white" to which he replied that it is not easy.
He added that some people had a tendency that even when the country became independent "they would have only spoken about partition. The experiences of partition were extremely painful, but the country also gained independence," he said.
He also dismissed allegations that BJP leaders knew about the demonetization move. Refuting opposition charge about some land deals in Bihar, Shah said that it was part of BJP's decision to have an office in every district and the timing was purely coincidental.
In a lighter vein, he said, that even if the party knew and wanted to benefit, they were not so naive to time it so foolishly.
He lauded the surgical strikes against terror launch pads across LoC saying it was due to the will of political leadership and the valour of the armed forces.
"Earlier casualties occurred only on our side, now it is more on the other side," he added.
