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Setting his sights on a Bharatiya Janata Party win in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked party workers not to be complacent as there is a view that "no one can defeat" the party next year, and slammed the Opposition for a "badshahi mindset” and insulting the poor and backward classes.
Addressing BJP members at the party's 44th foundation day celebrations, he said those fighting an "existential battle" have become desperate at the exposure of their corruption and are conspiring against his government, which is committed to taking tough steps to rid India of corruption, nepotism and law and order challenges.
"Full of hate, these people are speaking one lie after another. They have become restless and desperate at the exposure of their corrupt deeds. They can see now only one way out. They are openly saying 'Modi teri kabar khudegi'. They are issuing threats to dig (my) grave," he said.
Modi cautioned party members, who heard his nearly 50-minute-long address at over 10 lakh places where it was broadcast live, against complacency, noting that it is already said that no one can defeat the ruling party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
"Despite being the world's biggest political party, we don't have to be complacent. People have already started saying that no one can defeat the BJP in 2024. This is true but as BJP workers we have to win the heart of every citizen of the country," he said.
"We should not be confined to winning polls. Our goal is to win over the hearts of crores of people. We have to fight every poll with the same hard work that we have put in since the time of Jana Sangh," he said and lauded the contribution of the party workers.
With the BJP accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting backward communities, Modi slammed some persons with a "badshahi mindset” for insulting the poor and backward since the party stormed to power in 2014 and accused them of treating people like slaves for decades after independence.
The BJP has empowered these people's voices, he said.
The British might have left in 1947 but they left behind the seeds of treating people as slaves in the minds of some, he said.
"This class of people prospered a lot in the years after independence, and considered power their birth right," he added in a clear swipe at the Congress which ruled the country in the early decades after freedom.
Modi also accused the Congress and other political parties of being tied to nepotism, dynasty, casteism and regionalism.
The BJP represents a new culture of taking everyone along, he asserted.
"The BJP has taken birth from the womb of democracy, and has been nourished and nurtured with the nectar of democracy," he said.
A host of opposition parties, including the Congress, the Left and several regional parties, have come together over the alleged targeting of their leaders by central probe agencies in corruption cases and also over the issue of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case last month.
Without referring to various allegations levelled by these parties against his government, the prime minister said they have been "battling an existential crisis" and are resorting to levelling allegations and hatching conspiracies against the ruling party.
The support of the poor, tribals, backward classes, Dalits and women among others will continue to protect the 'lotus' (BJP party symbol) and help it bloom, he said, adding the BJP cannot let people's aspirations and dreams go unfulfilled and will continue to focus on development and welfare.
He drew parallels between Lord Hanuman, whose birth anniversary is being observed by the devout on Thursday, to assert that the party believed in the ideals of selfless service, something with which the Ramayana character is identified.
India has realised its potential and strength after 2014 just like Lord Hanuman did after eliminating his self-doubt, PM Modi said. "If we see the whole life of Lord Hanuman, he had a 'can-do' attitude that helped him achieve big successes."
As Lord Hanuman took on demons fiercely, the government will also act stringently in ridding the country of ills like corruption, nepotism and law and order challenges, the prime minister added.
Modi cited the free ration scheme, health insurance and other welfare measures, which have benefitted a huge number of people across the country, to assert that social justice was an article of faith for the BJP while other parties used the plank to advance the interest of particular families without helping society.
While the BJP thought and dreamt big and then set out to dedicate itself to achieving these goals, opposition parties could set small goals and patted each other for achieving even smaller targets.
The Opposition parties never imagined that Article 370 would be history one day and they cannot digest the work BJP has done to usher in peace and development in Kashmir and the North East, he said.
Asserting that 2014 heralded India's journey towards its renaissance, Modi said India after over "800 years of slavery" has stood up to recover its lost glory.
The prime minister stressed the need for BJP workers to use technology and asked them to work in accordance with the party's ideology and within the confines of India's Constitution..