At BJP meet, Gadkari calls for ‘social harmony’, condemns anti-Islam film

Nitin Gadkari Thursday asked his party's national executive to prepare for a "role of governance", and identified "good economic governance" and "social harmony" as the thrust areas of a new BJP vision document likely to be out by the end of this year.

The BJP president described "social harmony" as development for all without discrimination on the basis of "religion, caste, region and language, etc".

Gadkari did not use the word 'secular', but his written speech — in which he exhorted party cadre to spread Swami Vivekananda's message against intolerance and religious fanaticism — included a direct criticism of the offensive amateur video that has inflamed the Muslim world.

"Paigamber Muhammad Sahib ko apmaanit karne waali vivadit film ki hum ninda karte hain. Is tarah kisi bhi sampradaay ke poojya vyakti ke baare mein durbhaavna failaana galat hai (We condemn the film that has insulted the Prophet Muhammad. It is wrong to spread ill-will against revered figures of any religion)," Gadkari said.

He said the BJP needed to demonstrate "leadership", "credibility", "decisiveness" and "commitment to the poor" in addition to "vision" in order to provide an alternative government to the country. Gadkari asked his party leaders to set aside "personal ambitions", forget about "positions", and to work as committed "workers of the party" to win the "Mahabharat" of next Lok Sabha elections.

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