BJP leader extolls Modi’s foreign and domestic policies

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BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi speaking during an Interview at ITV Gold in New Jersey May 12, 2022. Photo: videograb

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party, India has undergone changes for the better in various sectors foreign and domestic, says Member of Rajya Sabha Sudhanshu Trivedi, a senior spokesperson for the BJP, on a visit to the United States.

In a wide-ranging interview on ITV Gold, a part of Parikh Worldwide Media, Trivedi dwelt on changes in approach to foreign policy, electoral reform, the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and foreign investment. Following are extracts from the interview:

Foreign Policy

When the Modi government came, there was a paradigm shift in the approach of foreign affairs. Prior to that, it was mainly diplomacy, economic affairs and strategic aspects.

Prime Minister Modi added two more elements – the Indian diaspora, and cultural diplomacy. The Indian diaspora has such a vast presence – 30 million all over the world. So why should it not be used. Particularly, in the U.S., where the Indian diaspora is quite well off, most educated, most prominenet in the country, and has a feeling of enthusiasm to do something . So why should it not be incorporated in our scheme of things? So Modiji has used this issue of Indian diaspora. So whenever he goes anywhere, he meets them first. And it began with the U.S. diaspora when the large event took place in Madison Square Garden in 2014.

So we also follow that policy and meet the Indian diaspora and discuss with them, we respond to their queries, and get feedback on what theya re doing for their ancestral homeland, and we are informed of that.

Electoral Reforms

Election reforms are a requirement of the day. In order to increase transparency, our government has started the new initiative of electoral bonds. Whosoever wants to contribute to the party can purchase an electoral bond and they can give it to any party. So nobody will know. The government will know how much electoral bonds have been sold, but it will not be known to which party they have been given. So the confidentiality remains.

The sad thing is the Opposition has largely not availed of this initiative as an appropriate way to get contributions. Whereas, Modi ji took this big step after forming government.

In some cases, India is ahead of the United States. In India, everyone has a Voter ID card. And there (in U.S.) there were so many allegations in previous years.

We have it very clear – you show your Voter ID card and only then can you vote. And only one person can cast the vote.

So we have done a lot for electoral reforms.

From left, H.R.Shah, chairman TVAsia, BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman Parikh Worldwide Media at an event in TV Asia studios May 11, 2022, in New Jersey. Photo: Twitter @SudhanshuTrivedi

Also, with the greater impact of digital and social media, the concept of campaigning has also somewhat changed. So to reduce the influence of money on elections, we are trying to do something about that.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

I would like to explain what is the RSS.

Which is the biggest organization in the world which has more number of schools running? It is Vidya Bharati, which is an RSS organization, and has 30,000 schools not only in India but in the entire world. No other organization in the world has that.

In tribal areas – the biggest organization working, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, this is an RSS Sangh Pariwar.

The biggest organization working with Scheduled castes and Dalit bastis is Seva Bharti, an RSS organization.

The biggest organization of students working in colleges and universities is Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, ABVP, that is RSS-affiliated.

If I ask which is the biggest organization in the religious field because in India, religion is having a very strong, prominent presence, that is dharmic sangathan, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, an RSS-affiliated organization.

Now look at trade unions. While the combined strength of the leftist trade unnions is bigger, if you ask the single trade unio is is having the maximum membership, it is Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, that is an RSS organization.

And finally, I would like to say, the biggest political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, not only th biggest party of India but biggest in the world in ters of members, is considered to have originated, motivated, and inspired by the ideology of RSS.

So you can understand that what the RSS has done in last 75 years, in various walks of life in the country.

As far as those who try to portray it just toward the BJP, I would like to say that RSS – of its 3,200 to 3,500 full time pracharaks in various organizations – only 40 are working in BJP.

So there is a vast scope of what the RSS is doing.

Foreign Investment

If you look at foreign investors – India is having the biggest FDI in last 75 years right now. Foreign investment in the lat one year has increased by a lot.

The reason is the ‘ease of doing business.’

Second, there is a transparent, robust policy. New we have implemented GST, so it is one tax throughout the country.

Corporate tax, as it was, we have tried to level it compared with other countries.

A major requirement is good infrastructure. If you go to India, you will see roads, rails, airports, and the digital infrastructure. We are trying to enhance the capability of that.

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A Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Trivedi was educated at Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (previously U.P. Technical University), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

During his current visit to the U.S., he has met with students at Princeton University and Stanford University May 11, 2022;  addressed the Foundation for India & Indian Diaspora Studies in San Francisco May 10, spoken in Chicago on May 8 at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America annual meeting and visited the hall where Swami Vivekanand addressed the Parliament of World Religions in 1893.

Over his career, Trivedi has been part of several foreign delegations and to various conferences around the world.

 

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