Think of poor on Deendayal Upadhyaya's birth centenary: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his 100th birth anniversary and urged his compatriots to celebrate the year as "Gareeb Kalyan Varsh" (Year for Welfare of the Poor).

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was the ideologue and leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the Bharatiya Janata Party, from 1953 to 1968. He was born on September 25, 1916.

In his monthly radio address "Mann Ki Baat", Modi thanked Upadhyaya for giving the nation the principle of "Sarvajan Hitaay, Sarvajan Sukhaay" (Welfare of All, Happiness of All) and for giving a framework to theJana Sangh's and the BJP's political ideology. 

"He did the job of interpreting political ideology which millions of party workers like me follow -- the ideology which rewards our culture," Modi said. 

Modi briefly explained Upadhyaya's complete economic agenda through the slogan "Har haath ko Kaam, Har Khet ko Paani" (Work for every hand and water for every field).

Modi also lauded Upadhyaya for dedicating his life to thinking about benefiting the poor through work.