BJP Chief JP Nadda On 2-Day UP Visit, Criticises Opposition's 'Narrow Mindset' Over COVID Vaccine Remarks

Nadda also urged the elected members of the panchayats to ensure that everyone in their respective areas get fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Lucknow: BJP president JP Nadda, who arrived here Saturday on a two-day visit, attacked the Opposition in Uttar Pradesh saying people with "narrow mindset" should not be elected to power.

Nadda's visit comes at a time Uttar Pradesh prepares for the next year's assembly polls in which the ruling BJP will be pitted against the Samajwadi Party, the BSP, the Congress and other regional fronts.

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah had also visited the state recently.

Addressing a meeting of the newly-elected chairpersons of zila panchayats and block panchayats on the first day of his visit, Nadda praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccination drive.

"On April 20, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modiji constituted a task force and he gave the country two vaccines (against coronavirus) in nine months," he said.

"It is a separate matter (that the Opposition said) we will not get vaccinated. This is a vaccine of the BJP. Now, you have been vaccinated with the BJP vaccine. This tells the mindset of the leaders. Those who have a narrow mindset, how will they lead UP? This is something to think upon," he said, without naming any leader or party.

"We have to understand that they are doing politics with such a narrow mindset. They are working to mislead (people). They have damaged the country by saying 'do you think that we are guinea pig'. Today, when I meet them, and ask whether they have taken the vaccine, they say 'yes'."

Just as the vaccine was being rolled out in the country in January, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had called it the "vaccine of the BJP" and said he would not take the shot.

"How can I trust the vaccine, which will be used for vaccination by the BJP? We cannot get vaccinated by the BJP''s vaccine," Akhilesh Yadav had said.

Nadda also said the world sought India''s vaccines and jabs were provided to various countries under Vaccine Maitri.

"Today, there is no shortage of vaccines, and by December, the industrialists of India will prepare 135 crore (doses of) vaccines," Nadda said.

Nadda also urged the elected members of the panchayats to ensure that everyone in their respective areas get fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"The public has sent you after electing. You are not the leader of the public, you are custodian of the faith of the public, and it is your responsibility that you treasure this faith."he told the elected panchayat heads.

He also attacked the Opposition for their response during the pandemic.

"As the COVID-19 pandemic came, all the parties went into quarantine and isolation. They were visible only on Twitter. They used to hold press conferences via video-conferencing. First, they questioned the imposition of the lockdown, and then they asked why the lockdown was lifted," Nadda said.

Referring to the PM Gareeb Kalyan Ann Yojana, he said over 80 crore people of the country get two square meals a day because of the scheme, which, according to him, has earned praise from the United National Secretary General and the WHO Director General.

"Almost 100 year ago, when there was a pandemic, more people died of starvation than the disease. Over 80 crore people of the country are getting two square meals a day because of the PM Gareeb Kalyan Ann Yojana," he said.

"In the US, Brazil and Italy, it was only the government which fought the coronavirus. In India, Modiji prepared the country to fight the virus through ''taali bajaao'', ''thaali bajaao'' and ''diyaa jalaao''," Nadda said.

The BJP chief also said winning even a small election is very difficult, and involves a lot of hard work and urged the elected panchayat chairpersons to become the ''pratham sevak'' in their respective districts and blocks.

Nadda said once Uttar Pradesh was known for riots, and was counted among the 'BIMARU' states. "But, today it is the number two in terms of ease of doing business. The per capita income of UP has doubled."

In the panchayat elections held in UP, the BJP won 67 zila panchayat chairpersons post in 75 districts of the state. It won the chairperson's post in 648 out of 825 block panchayats.

The BJP chief also listed the achievements of the Modi government. "(Ram Manohar) Lohia had in the 1960s said in Parliament that the Indian women had to finish her 'dincharya' (daily nature's call) on the streets before the sunrise. This problem was resolved by Prime Minister Modi, and toilets were given to 11 crore women," Nadda said, and asked the audience to ensure no household is left without a toilet.

"We have to also keep in mind what is the agenda? Do we accept an agenda or do we set an agenda? The leader must understand the problems of the public, accordingly set an agenda, and move forward," he said.

BJP's national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, Uttar Pradesh in-charge Radha Mohan Singh, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma and state BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh were present during the occasion.