Panaji, July 6 (Inditop.com) The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) latest membership drive in Goa will aim to increase the number of minorities and women in its ranks, a party spokesman said Monday.
Speaking to reporters at the launch of the state wide membership drive, former state BJP president Rajendra Arlekar said: “We would definitely like to see an increase in the percentage of minorities in the BJP ranks.”
He, however, refused to divulge the exact number of registered minority members in the party rolls.
Arlekar said the drive, which would cover every one of the 1,300 polling booths in Goa, will also carry the message of Hindutva to every nook and corner of the state and will attempt to dispel the confusion in the minds of the people about its basic concepts.
“The BJP as a party has always believed in concept of cultural nationalism. Hindutva is the cultural identity of the people living in this country. We will take this message to every household in the state,” Arlekar said.
According to the 2001 census, 26.68 percent of Goa’s 13 lakh (1.3 million) population is made up of Christians, while Muslims account for 6.84 percent of the total populace.
Arlekar said the membership drive would also look at upping the involvement of women in party work, adding that the drive aimed to increase the party’s card-holding membership from 125,000 to 200,000 members in the next few months.
rounak