CB BureauThis conversation almost did not happen. In what can be termed as a role reversal, the interviewee, Krishan Pal Gurjar, president of BJP Haryana and MLA from Tigaon, had to wait for over an hour for the CauseBecause team, delayed by the most chaotic traffic mess along the border.
Anyway, Gurjar was getting late for his daily rounds that involves engaging with at least eight villages. During these visits, he meets ‘his people’ and hears out their grievances and suggestions. Such a schedule was not to be fiddled with.
CB. Being the president of the opposition in the state, you certainly have a lot of opportunities to engage in development work. Please share some of the initiatives undertaken by the BJP in the state.
I joined politics with the sole aim of bringing about development. Being in a position wherein you can take certain decisions, influence governments, or yourself be a government, one can certainly bring about a change.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) policy, from the very beginning, has been the same – find the root cause of the problem that hampers development and mend it. Be it infrastructural, social, or economical development, the party’s focus is always on progress and advancement.
For instance, we constantly strive to encourage women from rural and backward backgrounds to come forward and take up leadership positions in politics. In the last few years, participation of women in politics has increased. Women make an important part of BJP’s decision-making process at the grassroots level.
Moreover, BJP’s mahila morcha engages in activities that can help women become self-reliant. They find ways for their skill development, associate with relevant NGOs, and ensure that women do not feel left out in any sphere.
For engaging the youth in overall development of the nation, there is an active youth wing of BJP. The idea is to not just find future leaders, but also channelize the young energies in a positive direction. The youth wing helps to inculcate a sense of nationalism and responsibility towards the people and the country.
I myself believe that unless you reach out to people at the lowest rung of the society – people who live in the remotest of areas across the country – neither can development happen nor can development activity be monitored. I try to visit 8 to 10 villages in a day to meet new people every time and find out what should be done towards their and their village’s welfare.
Other than this, we have a set of people in the form of wings/groups that concentrate on different social causes. For example, there is a set of people who only focus on new policies that are made for social welfare. They keep a check on them – to ensure that they are being properly implemented, that they are useful, and that all measures have been taken to make them better.
CB. All efforts towards a social cause need mobilization, infrastructure, facilities… and this can happen only if backed with considerable funding. How do you raise funds to run such a big organization?
Unlike any other political party, funding is the most transparent activity in BJP. Anybody who is associated with us knows where the funds are coming from and where they are being used.
There are many well-wishers who believe in the organization’s welfare and development activities. They fund the party and help keep it going. We have a policy of raising funds just one time in a year, wherein whosoever may want to give whatsoever to the party is welcome.
CB. Can you give us an estimate of what percentage of the total funds actually goes towards welfare activities at grassroots level?
It is difficult to set out a chunk of funds that may only be used for a certain activity. We do not have percentages set for any welfare activity. Overall, every effort of ours is directed towards welfare of the people. So, even when funds are spent on maintaining offices, buying fuel to mobilize people, or for providing basic amenities to people, we are indirectly spending to keep the social and development tasks on track.
However, whenever there is a need to fund a particular activity, a positive policy, or an initiative, the party does not hesitate in backing it. Every penny that comes to the party goes back to the society.
CB. If you have to prioritize issues ranging from humanitarian affairs like poverty and hunger, to environment-related causes, what comes first for you?
We cannot distinguish between social causes. All of them are somehow interrelated and we need to address all. Of course, the basic needs like food and shelter are the most necessary ones, but if education is denied or the immediate living environment is not appropriate, the purpose of a better life is just not met.
We have to work towards uplifting people’s standard of living as also their quality of life.
CB. Do you associate with the NGOs that are actively working at the grassroots level?
We associate with anybody who is positively working towards bringing about a change. There are certain NGOs that believe in the party’s principles.
Earlier this year, the party launched an initiative called Antyodaya, meaning ‘serving the last man in the queue,’ which is a concept developed by party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and aims at reaching out to the most marginalized sections of society. The whole party believes in the idea and will associate with any individual or an organization that believes in the same idea.
CB. As of now, you are a member of legislative assembly (MLA) and also president of the opposition. Do you think there are certain development tasks that you could have done had you been in power or that are being ignored by the present government?
There are certain tasks that you have to do when you are in opposition and certain others when you are in power. Being in opposition, we have to monitor the activities of the ones who are in power. We have to keep check on the policies that are being implemented. We have to ensure that whatever the government does is in sync with what people want or what is required for overall development.
And, yes, the opposition can never be ignored. Whatever we say, whatever issues we raise, have to be addressed by the government. So, the development process is not hampered much and continues to go on.
Of course, certain bad elements are always there to spoil things. People who indulge in politics of false blames and allegations or are corrupt ruin the positive change that a leader otherwise wants to see or makes an effort to bring about.
CB. Since the process of development, as you say, is always on, where do you see the state five years from now?
I see a developed, progressing and ever-growing state with minimal issues. All people, be in an urban area or a remote village, should have access to basic amenities – the essentials of life.
