We are not anti-Muslim or anti-Dalit: Gadkari

Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari on Saturday asserted that his party was not anti-Muslim or anti-dalit but had been victim of "false propaganda", clearly carrying forward the campaign to reach out to sections which are seen as outside the party's vote bank.

"It is our misfortune, image versus reality and ground reality versus perception. We are not communal, casteist or anti-Muslim or anti-Dalit. We want welfare of everyone, of tribals, of dalits, of women, but due to false propaganda our image has been targeted," Gadkari said.

He asked party workers to work with the marginalised sections in order to bring the "real picture" to the fore.

"We should present the picture of the real BJP to the people, take the exploited sections of the society along with us. Tribals, dalits, minorities, workers in the unorganised sector, women and youth....we should expand our organisational and political field," he said.

The BJP President was speaking at a "Women Workshop" organised by BJP Mahila Morcha & Good Governance Cell on Saturday.

During the party's national executive last month, the BJP decided to strive for an "imaginative reprojection" of its "commitment to secularism" and reassured minority community that it does not support discrimination on basis of religion.

Gadkari on Saturday asked the women workers to look after the concerns of the female population through their authority, especially when they were holding important position, like in women's commissions.

"Do your states have public toilets for women in public places? If our women don't consider the need for having toilets in public places, then who will? Human rights are a concern that comes later, but it is the small things that have to be in focus," he said.

He also suggested that more women should be educated in the use of computers. Gadkari said that party workers had to overcome personal interest and think about contributing to the party. Referring to his own example, Gadkari said that he had been made the President for the second time though he never asked for it.