Sources said Shah expressed concern over the ongoing unrest and directed the ministers to visit different constituencies in the Kashmir Valley at least twice in 15 days to strengthen the party base.
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Saturday reminded his party legislators and ministers that the nation comes first, and asked them to reach out to the people of the restive Kashmir Valley. He also said that restoring normalcy in the Valley was the priority and talks would follow it.
Shah, who arrived in Jammu to kick off 95-day Vistaar (expansion) Yatra, was given a grand welcome in the city of temples. From bike rally to motor rally, Shah was taken to the government convention centre in a huge cavalcade. Throughout the route, BJP supporters had lined up to welcome Shah. He was profusely garlanded and en route people showered flower petals and shouted pro-BJP slogans.
Soon after his arrived in Jammu, Shah went into a huddle with party office-bearers, legislators and ministers where he asked them not to confine themselves to their constituencies or to Jammu but reach out to the people in Kashmir Valley as well. Shah, sources said, told his party colleagues that nation comes first and the government comes later and urged them to expand their base.
"Kashmiris are our brothers and we have to ensure their safety and security. He said we will restore peace and normalcy in Kashmir and then we will think of talks," said Ravinder Raina, BJP MLA from Nowshera.
Sources said Shah expressed concern over the ongoing unrest and directed the ministers to visit different constituencies in the Kashmir Valley at least twice in 15 days to strengthen the party base.
"He told his ministers to start Kashmir outreach programme and meet general public. It is the BJP's stand that nation always comes first. There's nothing new about it," said Khalid Jehangir, BJP spokesman for Kashmir.
BJP legislators have been asked to visit the constituencies where the party had lost in last elections in order to expand cadre base. "Guns, stones and talks cannot go hand in hand. Talks cannot be held with separatists and India bashers. BJP believes in democracy and will not go for governor's rule," said Raina
Later while addressing a gathering of intellectuals, Shah said, "Can anybody tell me who will be the president of BJP after me? Who will become the president of Congress after Sonia Gandhi? (Audience bursts into laughter). Farooq Sahab's succession is complete in his lifetime. BJP and Communists are the only parties who have kept the internal democracy alive," he said.
Shah said only the party which believes in internal democracy can safeguard the democracy and further democratic values in the country. "The party which is limited to family's interests cannot do any good for nation. The party which has internal democracy can only remain dedicated to national interests. BJP is only party where internal democracy is alive," he said
Shah also hit out at Congress saying the party has not been formed on any ideology, and Gandhiji had called for dissolution of the party after independence and sought to form the parties on ideological bases to seek mandate accordingly from the people.
"If you analyse the Congress history, you will find that it is not the ideological party. It was a group of intellectuals and since it was fighting for India's freedom many people with varied ideologies be it Muslim League, Hindu Maha Sabha, Communists joined in. Congress was a mass movement not an ideology. And that is why Gandhiji called for dissolving the party and forming new one on ideological basis to seek mandate from the people," he said.
Shah said the parties which came into being after independence came from the Congress because the leaders felt choked before one family. "Regional parties have no ideology. Our founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was a finance minister in Nehru government but he felt that the principals did not have the smell of our nation. So eight to 10 people formed Bharatiya Jan Sangh to create a viable alternative to Congress," he said.
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