New Delhi, Apr 06: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Uniform Civil Code and ‘One Nation, One Election’ are two of the unfinished agendas of the BJP. He said serious discussions are taking place on them, and positive strides have been made.
Virtually addressing an event on the BJP’s 47th Foundation Day, Modi also said it was the BJP that first raised the issue of women’s reservation in 1994, while the current BJP-led Central government is fully committed to ensure that the Women’s Reservation Act — which would provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies — is implemented in the 2029 general elections.
Targeting the Congress, he said BJP workers endured many hardships — such as the Emergency and oppression — under the grand old party’s rule. Many BJP workers have even sacrificed their lives, he said, as witnessed in states like West Bengal and Kerala “where violence has been turned into a political culture”.
“Our mission is still ongoing. On Uniform Civil Code, ‘One Nation, One Election’ and other issues, serious discussions are taking place in the country, and we have achieved tremendous progress on those fronts,” he said.
Modi said the BJP aims to make the country developed and self-reliant, and it will continue to march in this direction.
Under the ‘One Nation, One Election’ system, the Modi government proposes to conduct simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The Uniform Civil Code seeks to create same set of laws for everyone across the country irrespective of religion, especially with regard to marriage, adoption, et cetera.
Modi said the BJP is sincerely striving to face every challenge.
“There are countless works that were the result of BJP’s honest efforts, such as ending hundreds of black laws from the British era, the construction of a new Parliament building, 10 per cent reservation for the poor in the general category, triple talaq ban, the Citizenship Amendment Act, the construction of Ayodhya Ram temple,” he said.
The prime minister said it was the BJP that had proposed women’s reservation for the first time in 1994 in Vadodara.
“We had also decided that we would encourage women in our party organisation as far as possible. When we came to power, we fulfilled that promise. Now we are fully dedicated to ensuring that the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Reservation Act) is implemented in the 2029 general elections,” he said.
Referring to the ongoing West Asia conflict, Modi said the BJP believes in the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family) even in times of war.
He said there was a time when India took pride in maintaining equal distance from every country, but now it is moving ahead by keeping close relations with each country.
Highlighting that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has completed 25 years of existence, Modi said it is the only coalition that has been working for the interests of the country and the welfare of its people.
“The BJP has set an example in coalition politics. The consistent expansion of the NDA is proof that it is an all-inclusive coalition. It works by prioritising regional aspirations,” he said.
Modi said people have seen dynastic politics, which is still prevalent in some parts of the country, and the Left governance model, but the BJP’s governance model is unique.
“Under our governance model, policies and governments are stable,” he said.
Modi said the BJP has its own agenda and aims, and besides handling the current crisis, the party-led government is preparing the country for the future.
“Works are ongoing on issues such as the demographic change, infiltration, corruption, dynastic politics, and freeing people from the slave mentality. The BJP has to make the country free from all these challenges. This responsibility can be fulfilled only by the BJP,” he said.
Referring to the abrogation of Article 370 (which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir) in 2019, Modi said that for decades, the law was a hurdle in fully integrating Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country.
“People thought it was impossible to scrap Article 370, but we had promised to abrogate it. We have completed the task,” he said.
Modi said the BJP has been maintaining a consistent stand on issues like national security and terrorism, and now new technologies are being installed for border security, the border villages are being developed, and the backbone of Naxals has been crushed.
He said that under the “vast and sacred banyan tree” of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP was inspired to step into politics with good intentions and integrity.
“In the initial few decades, we devoted our energy to setting policies for the organisation,” he said.
He added that the party cannot forget that in 1984, the Congress won a record number of seats, but the country also witnessed how they betrayed the people.
“This increased people’s trust in the BJP, and slowly we began to win seats. At that time, two types of political ideologies existed: one was power-driven, and the other was service-oriented. The politics that prioritised power gradually declined, and service-oriented politics gained massive public support. Today, we are proud that through our conduct, we have established a new principle in Indian politics: the principle of nation first,” he said.
Earlier, in an X post, Modi greeted BJP workers on the party’s foundation day.
The BJP was formed on April 6, 1980.
“Our party has always been at the forefront of serving society, guided by the principle of India First. Our ‘karyakartas’ are known for their selfless service, unwavering dedication and a deep passion towards good governance. They have worked tirelessly at the grassroots, ensuring maximum people are connected to our ideology and work. We also remember the countless workers whose dedication, sacrifice and perseverance have shaped the party’s growth over decades,” he said.
He said the BJP stands as a party that places the well-being of people at the centre of its vision, and this is reflected in the work at the Centre and in various states.
“BJP remains committed to building a Viksit Bharat. May our collective resolve continue to drive this vision forward and take India to new heights of progress and prosperity,” he said.
