'BJP Has Grown Beyond RSS, Runs Itself Now': JP Nadda's BIG Remark, Clears Air On Temple Plans In Mathura, Kashi

New Delhi: BJP national president J P Nadda said that that party has become "Saksham" (capable) from the time it needed the Rastriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) and the saffron party runs its own affairs now. Nadda said the RSS is an "ideological" front and minds its own business. In an interview to the Indian Express, the BJP chief, while answering a question on the contrast between the RSS' presence during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now said, “Shuru mein hum aksham honge, thora kum honge, RSS ki zaroorat padti thi… Aaj hum badh gaye hain, saksham hai… toh BJP apne aap ko chalati hai (In the beginning, we would have been less capable, smaller and needed the RSS. Today, we have grown and we are capable. The BJP runs itself). That’s the difference.”

When asked about whether the BJP does not need the RSS now, Nadda said “See, the party has grown and everyone has got their own duties and roles. RSS is a cultural and social organisation and we are a political organisation… It’s not the question of need. It’s an ideological front. Woh ideologically apna kaam karte hain, hum apna. We are managing our affairs in our own way. And that’s what political parties should do.”

Clearing air over the construction of temples at the disputed sites in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura and Varanasi, the BJP president said there are no such plans. “The BJP does not have any such idea, plan or desire. There are no discussions either. Our system works in a way in which the party’s thought process is set by the discussions in the Parliamentary board, then it goes to the national council which endorses it,” he said.

Several high-profile BJP leaders like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma have mentioned about building the temples at these disputed sites during the campaigning for Lok Sabha Polls.

When asked about the same, Nadda said, “There is no ambiguity. The BJP had incorporated the demand for the Ram temple in its Palampur resolution (of June 1989). The temple became a reality after a long struggle. That was on our agenda. Some people become emotional or get excited and talk about other issues. Our party is a big party and every leader has a style of talking.”