Smriti Irani attends Overseas Friends of BJP victory celebration for PM Modi’s third term

London [UK], June 24 (ANI): The Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) organized a victory celebration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term at the Indian Gymkhana Club in Osterley, London. BJP leader Smriti Irani attended the event.

Upon her arrival at the venue, BJP supporters welcomed Smriti Irani. She even posed for pictures with them. Around 500 people gathered to hear Smriti Irani's speech at the event, showcasing strong support and enthusiasm for the BJP and its leadership, according to the OFBJP press release.

In her address, Smriti Irani commended the president of the OFBJP UK and emphasized unity among Indians, according to the press release. She highlighted the growth of the BJP in the UK over the past few years and discussed the global impact and influence of Prime Minister Modi and his government.
She appreciated the efforts of OFBJP UK President Kuldeep Singh Shekhawat. She emphasised unity among Indians, regardless of their political affiliations, stating, "We should not mock the others as they just don't want our heads but they want India on their platter."
Highlighting the efforts made by PM Narendra Modi, "This is a prime minister who has seen in his village, poor women defecating in the open and he built toilets for, for 110 million poor Indian families. This is a prime minister that was told Chaiwala Kabi Pridhan, Mantri, Nahi Ban Sakta (Tea seller cannot become PM). But this is the prime minister that gave impetus to every youngster in India to say that if you want to become somebody, do not be subjugated to the will of those who only have money but may not have talent."
"This is a prime minister who knew that poor women in families, just to save for a rainy day, would take crumpled notes and shove it in bottles which had flour or rice, all because they wanted to save money. Women who, if their husbands or their sons wanted to do something of their own, would give away their gold, one bangle, one earring only so that their families could live with Swabhimaan. This is a prime minister who made sure that he opened bank accounts for 500 million Indians. And to be fair to him, while we applaud him in absentia, it was never a part of his manifesto," she added.
She noted that building toilets for the poor was not a part of political discourse in 2014. She said that PM Modi built the toilets as he meant it when he said "I will be harbinger of change."
Smriti Irani said, "So, when Vijay(The Foreign in-charge of BJP Worldwide Vijay Chauthaiwale) stands here to say thankyou for your support and your contribution, they are not mere words, but the resounding claps will not be limited to this room. They will reach that Prime Minister, who is mocked by the opposition. Why? Because he built roads? This is the prime minister who, at the age of 73, is humiliated by a man who was born in a political family with a golden spoon and who keeps discovering India even over the age of 50. But don't mock them.I say don't. For they come together because what they want on a platter is not just our heads."
"India, don't mock them, for they will find friends who will want nothing less than pull India down. Don't mock them, for they don't celebrate when we become the fifth largest economy. They don't support us when we say we want to be the third-largest economy. Don't mock them for they'd rather burn our homes down only so that they could burn down the legacy of Prime Minister Modi. They will cut the nose to spite the face. We know that. Don't mock them. Be aware of them. For they want, like I said, not our heads, not a piece of the pie. They want our country on a platter," she added.
Calling on people to stand resolutely with PM Modi and BJP, Smriti Irani said, "So today, while we celebrate, I being a quintessential Indian woman, when the midst of all the glory and all the guts so points out, be watchful, be mindful, I say this today that every time they mock India, remember it's people like you who came together and built it brick by brick."
"Every time they mock our way of life, remember it is people like you with the tilak on the forehead that kept that way of life alive. So today as we come together to tell Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party that you stand resolutely with them. Remember, you stand not with just a political party. You stand not with just a way of life. You stand resolutely with India," she added.
The Foreign in-charge of BJP Worldwide Vijay Chauthaiwale and Shishir Bajoria, who oversees international affairs and media relations for BJP also attended the event.
Speaking to ANI, BJP member Hina Gupta said, "We all are here, you know, hearing Smriti Irani. It's such a matter of proud. So much proud, so many people have welcomed us. I am very happy to see this. Our Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, is loved and respected by everyone.

So many people are eager to listen to Smriti Irani. So many people are welcoming her. It is a matter of immense proud. No matter where people are, whether they are Indians or not, whether they are in India or not, they are connected with their roots, their affinity with their country politics, the people who are doing good for their country, I am feeling happy and proud to see this.
Harini Sampath from BJP Karnataka team stated that they started preparations for celebrations when the elections were announced as they were confident about PM Modi's win.
She said, "We've been preparing for the success of BJP and this event for quite sometime. The moment elections were announced we started preparing for the celebration when we knew Modiiji will come back with an astounding success. We did quite a lot of events in the past. So, this victory celebration makes it even more, you know celebratory and fun and much needed here. Smriti Iraniji is here."

Sampath added, "She gave a wonderful speech about how it is a moment of celebration and what all Modi ji has achieved for us in this last ten years and what he is going to achieve for us in the next five years, 10 years, 15 years. We know that Modi ji is coming back again in the next five years. We are looking forward to celebratory event after five years in a bigger venue with a bigger success."
Speaking about BJP's win in elections, BJP leader Sanket said, "today we all gathered here to celebrate the victory of BJP and NDA with the alliance government, which they have came for the third time. Honestly speaking, down the line here, there are elections right now in the UK. And even there were elections in India."

"We can see the massive difference when it comes to the issue which is currently raised here in this country that a minority has started becoming a majority and that is a concerned issue right now here while in India we have tried and we are trying our best to cover the democracy and to protect the democracy and this is a tight slap on those people who are blaming EVM and I see our democracy is alive still," he added.
BJP leader Deepak Patel said, "I have been here in UK, London for the last 18 years and the job that I have been given by the BJP Gujarat Convener for the last 4 weeks. In the elections, we also campaigned for the seat of the parliament of Ahmedabad, Surat, and other cities of the world. We worked there for a month. We have done so many activities from the UK to make Modiji's pit-board. And our efforts will continue from here in London. We are with you, Modiji."
Coming to India's election results, the counting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was held on June 4. According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP won 240 seats. Combining the numbers of BJP ally parties, the number went comfortably above the halfway mark needed to form a government.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other members of his Union Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 9. (ANI)