But RSS leaders, BJP leaders and workers of the Sangh Parivar -- everyone -- thought it was time to break away because the Janata Party had no future. The ethos behind founding the BJP was the RSS ideology of Hindutva. We had five commitments. First, we wanted to practise politics to push for our idea of cultural nationalism, which also included the strong belief that India will not give away an inch of territory and will protect its borders. We needed unity within India to ensure that. The RSS was never overtly religious -- it never asked its members to go to the temple or perform pujas or fast. Our idea of religion was nationalism. We believed in matrubhoomi [Motherland] and Bharatmata [Mother India]. We asked our cadres to believe in heroes of the nation like Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Sri Aurobindo, Lokmanya Tilak and Ramakrishna Paramhans. To some extent Gandhiji -- we believed and admired Gandhi's belief in grassroot-level activism. Second, we thought in 1980 that unlike Congress, ours would be value-based politics. Third, we were committed to democracy. Fourth, the BJP believed in positive secularism. And fifth, we wanted to break caste barriers and establish samata [equality] in Indian society. In May 1980, the BJP was born in New Delhi where its name and symbol was decided. Shanti Bhushan and Ram Jethamalani came to attend the launch of the party. Vajpayee was made the working president. The lotus was selected as the party symbol because it represents Hindu
