The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its poll manifesto in New Delhi on Monday that contains among its various promises, construction of the Ram Mandir “in a harmonious environment within the constitutional framework”, doubling farmers’ income, reiterating stand on scrapping Article 370 and 35A.
Later, the Congress, reacting to the BJP’s manifesto – called the sankalp patra – shredded it and said it was a “copy paste” of BJP’s own manifesto of 2014. The Congress said the party should have instead released a “maafinama” (letter of apology). “Our party manifesto cover has pictures of a crowd of people, their manifesto has the picture of one man on the cover,” Congress leader Ahmed Patel said. He said all their promises had been copy pasted with the previous deadlines changed.
The BJP’s manifesto release was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders like home minister Rajnath Singh, party president Amit Shah, minister of finance Arun Jaitley and minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj among others. Party president Amit Shah stated that it would “fulfil all expectations of the people”.
The BJP has promised interest-free kisaan credit card loans to farmers where agricultural loans up to Rs 1 lakh to be given at zero per cent interest for between one to five years upon the repayment of the principal amount. Farmers’ income will be doubled by 2022, they said. Small and marginal farmers above the age of 60 years would be eligible for a pension scheme.
Article 370 which confers special status on Jammu and Kashmir will be abrogated. Article 35 A which states no outsider can own property in Jammu and Kashmir, would also be annulled.
The manifesto promised to revise tax brackets for the middle class if voted to power. They said Rs 100 lakh crore would be devoted to infrastructure development by the year 2024.
The party has also mentioned that committed to “protect the linguistic, cultural and social identity of the people of North –East”, the Citizenship Amendment Bill will be revived.
The manifesto promises “pucca houses” for all by 2022. The percentage of people living below the poverty line will decrease to a single digit figure if the BJP government is voted back to power, as per its manifesto promise.
The BJP has also promised opening of 1.5 health and welfare centres and 75 medical colleges.
Described by the Prime Minister as a document inspired by nationalism with the aim of “empowering the poor”, the launch of the party manifesto comes just three days ahead of the first phase of polling in the country on April 11. Calling “good governance” the “mantra” of his party, PM Modi said that home minister Rajnath Singh had worked on developing the manifesto for three months with useful inputs from all sections of society.
