It is well known that Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly boasts his party’s achievements for the rise in the number of taxpayers in the country and states the reason as the centre is judiciously utilising the taxpayers’ money. At the same time, on the occasion of Dhanteras, it is observed by the twitterites that the BJP IT cell and its leaders are encouraging a move by the BJP to support the party and donate towards contributing for the country’s development. Here the question arises that if the ruling party is asking for a donation to build ‘New India’, then how is the government using the taxpayers’ money prudently?
On Nov 5, the BJP IT Cell took to Twitter by sharing a post that stated, “This Dhanteras, let us pledge our support to those who put India first. Donate to BJP through NaMo App. Give missed call on 18002090920 to download the App. #MyBJPMyDonation”. Manohar Parikar and BJP leaders are seen promoting this act of BJP on the social media that has helped this scheme to become a trending one over the social media but the oppositions are attacking this stunt by stating it as another way of looting the taxpayers’ money.
BJP spokesperson Shivray Kulkarni explained, “BJP do use the taxpayers’ money for the development at the central level. But BJP is an organsiation and it needs to raise fund to contribute for an emergency situation such as floods, earthquake, tsunami, etc. to help other States and the nation. So, if the voters trust in BJP, they will surely contribute through this mean.”
However, commenting on the social media posts, he said, “BJP does not need any such kind of publicity. Modi has its popularity in the nation and that is the reason that shopkeepers are using Modi’s picture to increase their sales.”
However, if experts are to be believed, then BJP is leaving no stones unturned to utilise the opportunity to the core with selling an embossed picture of PM on gold and silver bars. It raises the eyeballs of many as they ask whether this course of action is to attract the voters on the occasion of Dhanteras be one of its electoral campaigns?
Congress leader Anant Gadgil also raised the concern on the utilisation of taxpayers’ money by asking, “Even I have a doubt that where is the government using the taxpayers’ money? Are they using it to buy Rafale jet or in note ban to create a chaos for the citizen? In the past four years, many schemes have been announced but we don’t know where and how much money out of the allotted money is used!”
“This is one of the BJP’s marketing strategies. Even after Congress being in power for 60 years, we could not build an office, reportedly the BJP is making one; it seems like the taxpayers’ money are being used to build lavish offices for them,” he irked further.
As per the reports, on this Dhanteras, gold and silver bars, with a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi embossed in it, are being sold at a jewellery shop in Gujarat’s Surat. This is not the first time that the shop has manufactured jewellery with Prime Minister Modi’s face embossed on it. In August, he had designed gold rakhis with photos of Prime Minister Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on them. The rakhis, made of 22-carat gold, were selling like hot cakes, the jeweller had claimed.
BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari explained, “This is not any strategy by BJP. The marketers sell whatever is popular in the market at that particular time period which can help them earn a maximum profit and increase their sales and our Prime Minister’s popularity is well-maintained even today; hence, people buy and sell. On asking about the tweet on social media, he refused to comment saying that he is unaware of any such happenings.”
On one hand, the Modi supporters and bhakts are celebrating the festivities with more joy and enthusiasm with these schemes as the gold markets are hitting new standards of high sales at Prime Minister’s face value. On the other hand, the political analysts believe this as the political strategy ahead of the elections.
By Moumita Mukherjee & Twinkle Mehta
