LUCKNOW: Touching its time-tested Hindutva agenda in the run up to the UP elections, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday promised efforts to ensure construction of Ram temple under constitutional provisions, a white paper on the exodus of Hindus from Kairana, along with a look at the triple talaq issue.
Projecting a farmer-friendly approach of the party, Shah promised a 100 percent loan waiver to farmers. The development-oriented manifesto promises scores of populist schemes for all sections of the society including, farmers, women, and the youth.
Following the motto “Na goondaraj, na Bhrashtachar” (no goondaraj, no corruption), the manifesto proposes steps for improvement in law and order situation which, the BJP chief claimed, was in tatters under the present rule. Referring to the temple issue, the BJP president played safe maintaining that if voted to power the BJP would dedicate all efforts to build a grand Ram temple but conforming to the constitutional framework as the case was still pending with the Supreme Court.
Promising a white paper on the Kairana exodus issue, the BJP chief said a task force would be set up under the DMs and SPs of districts and they would be made accountable in such cases. “The DMs will be entrusted with the responsibility to ensure the return of the migrated chunk of population,” he averred.
Two more task forces against the land mafia and the mining mafia were also promised in the party manifesto to put a leash on land grabbing and illegal mining, which he said was a common phenomenon under the SP rule. Exuding confidence that the party would form the next government in UP, Shah assured Muslim women all support over ‘triple talaq’ issue saying the BJP-led state government would become a party on their behalf and represent them in the Supreme Court if need be.
Promising a robust and rapid development of the state and iterating the party resolve to take the “U” of ‘BIMARU’ out of this category, Shah assured the farmers' community waivers on all farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh and further loans at zero percent interest. Moreover, during the next 5 years, a Rs 150 crore fund would be set up for agricultural development, he said. The BJP chief hoped the people of the state would join the PM in the war on corruption and black money.
Immediately after Shah blamed SP and BSP for the poor state of affairs in UP, BSP chief Mayawati shot back, saying that the saffron party was trying to cheat people. “BJP has lost its right to release manifesto as it is yet to fulfil a single promise it made in its earlier manifesto released before 2014 elections,” she said.