New Delhi, Apr 6 (IANS): Hitting out at the family-led political parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that they never allowed the youth to progress.
Addressing the BJP workers on the 42nd foundation of the party, Modi said that while for others it is 'parivar bhakti', for the BJP it is 'rastra bhakti'.
"Some political parties are working for the interest of one family. They are present in different states but cover up corruption and misdeeds of each other.
"Country has suffered huge losses due to family-led political parties. Family-led parties have never allowed the youths of the country to progress. They have always betrayed youth. And today BJP is the only party which has alerted the country about this and made a political issue. Today everyone understands that family-led parties are against democracy," Modi said.
Referring to political violence and killing of BJP workers in opposition-ruled states, Prime Minister Modi said, "BJP workers are fighting and losing lives. I assure that our fight will continue till we restore the democratic values in those states."
The Prime Minister told the party leaders and workers that the BJP is working day and night for the upliftment of poor, downtrodden, women and backwards, these are core values of the party.
He claimed that several political parties indulged in vote bank politics for decades and the BJP has been successful in countering these unfair practices
Starting his address, Modi said, "Today is the fifth day of Navratri. Today we worship Maa Skandamata. We've seen that she sits on a Lotus throne and holds Lotus flowers in both her hands. I pray for her blessings."
He told the party leaders and workers that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Kutch to Kohima, the BJP is continuously strengthening the resolve of one India -- 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'.
"This year's foundation day has become very important due to three reasons. We are celebrating 75 years of Independence and this is a major occasion for inspiration for us. Second, rapidly changing global order and new opportunities are coming up for India continuously. Third, BJP's double engine government has formed once again in four states and after three decades a party has touched the mark of 100 members in Rajya Sabha," Modi said.
He claimed that today India is firmly standing for its interests without any fear or pressure. "When the entire world is divided into two rival factions, India is being viewed as a nation that can firmly speak about humanity," he said.
He also said that there was a time when the people had accepted that be it a government of any party, nothing will be done for the country. "Today, every citizen of the country is proudly saying that the nation is changing," Modi said.
He mentioned that recently the country achieved its target of reaching $400 billion in exports.
"Our government is working keeping the national interest at forefront. Today the country has decision-making power as well as the determination to enact its decisions. Therefore, today while we are setting goals, we are also fulfilling them," he added.