“The BJP has so much power that it can change a criminal into Maharishi Valmiki,” Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari said. He was speaking at the Maharashtra BJP's two-day annual convention that began on Wednesday.
“We induct these criminals into our party after accepting their vices and virtues wholeheartedly...It is party's responsibility to reduce their vices and encourage their virtues,” he said, citing examples of a few leaders the party inducted from Nagpur. He noted that these people managed to deliver and win the confidence of the party.
Gadkari was reacting to NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik who accused the BJP of “shamelessly pursuing” criminalisation of politics. “Everybody knows that the BJP is a party of erstwhile Walya's. But in mythology, criminal Walya turned into Maharishi Valmiki through self-realisation,” Malik said, and added that the BJP has lost the moral right to talk about criminalisation of politics.
Further, Gadkari appealed to the BJP leaders not to feel threatened or annoyed by the induction of leaders from other parties. “BJP's vote share will increase only if the votes of Congress and NCP reduce. Understand this and welcome leaders from these parties.” This statement is significant as there are rumors of Congress leader Narayan Rane's possible induction to the BJP which some of the BJP leaders are not happy with.
Besides the NCP, the Congress too had criticised the BJP over people with criminal records joining the saffron fold. “The BJP is known for taking moral high ground. Most of the times this moral poise has got shattered. The most worrying thing is that people get fooled and carried away although for a short duration,” Congress spokesperson Ratnakar Mahajan had said, and asked “Whether all the criminals have now got purified after joining BJP? Will this so called purification be acceptable to the courts where these criminals are facing serious charges?”
Mahajan further said the “Constitution does not allow such political shuddhi of criminals.”
