CHENNAI: The BJP’s manifesto for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections released on Monday seems to be wooing the voters of Scheduled Caste (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), farmers and fishermen, by giving special attention to these sections of the society. Of course, the manifesto made promises reiterating its avowed stance on freeing Hindu temples from the control of the government, enactment of anti-conversion and anti-cow slaughter Acts etc.,
The manifesto was released by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the presence of manifesto committee chairman H Raja, BJP State president L Murugan and senior functionaries.
The promises that are aimed at wooing the SC/STs include retrieval of 12 lakh acres of Panchami lands, renaming of Adi Dravidar Welfare Department as Scheduled Caste Welfare Department, setting up of Arunthathiyar Welfare Board and observance of the birthday of Swami Sahajananda, one who championed the cause of the SCs as Downtrodden Rights Protection Day.
Political analyst Tharasu Shyam is of the view that the promise to retrieve Panchami lands would be in the paper as the transfer of lands from the SCs had taken place many decades ago and the lands continued to be transferred to many hands. So identifying them and giving them to the community would be a gigantic task.
The Boyar welfare board will be set up for the benefit of the Boyar community. The community has been demanding that they should be included in the SCs list in Tamil Nadu. The manifesto also promised to look into the long pending demand of Badagas to include them in the list of Scheduled Tribes will be fulfilled. Caste certificates would be issued to ST people who have migrated to other places for work. Special training and coaching will be provided for qualified sportspersons from villages and Scheduled Tribe areas to help them achieve greater heights in international sporting events.
The manifesto also assured that the 24 Veera Saivar Groups, Mutharayars, Devangar weaving community and Telugu Devanga community belonging to Backward Classes category would be included in the MBC category.
The manifesto said an Anti-Cow Slaughter Act in accordance with the articles of the Indian Constitution would be strictly implemented in Tamil Nadu. A total ban would be imposed on transporting cows to Kerala and other States for beef and meat. Goshalas would be established in various temples to shelter and upkeep cows recovered from cattle smugglers.
As per the recommendations of an advisory committee headed by Kundrakudi Adigalar, the administration of Hindu temples will be handed over to a separate board comprising Hindu scholars and saints. This would replace the system of secular government controlling only the Hindu temples. And many more promises relating to temple administration were also given. A total ban will be imposed on paid darshan tickets in all temples. The University of Siddha Medicine will be established at Palani. A separate research university will be established to teach Agama rituals.
Perhaps for the first time, the BJP has also made the promise that the Legislative Council would be revived again in Tamil Nadu to allow experts from various fields to debate and participate in the legislative process. The AIADMK is against it but already the DMK and the AMMK have made it as their promise.
Special attention has been given to agriculture, fisheries and animal husbandry in the manifesto. A separate budget for agriculture, dedicated policy for organic farming, etc., are among the key promises. It said fishermen assistance of Rs.6,000 per year will be provided like it's being provided to farmers. Planting and growing Eucalyptus trees that deplete the water table will be banned. Alternative tree plantation will be encouraged.
Sand mining will be banned for five years to prevent the erosion of riverbeds and improve the groundwater table. During this time, the import of sand for construction will be allowed. Strict action will be taken against those who are involved in illegal and sand mining and against the officials who help illegal sand mining. To preserve the environment, the government will do the mining and sale of minerals and granite on its own in a controlled manner.
The manifesto promises that New National Education Policy would be implemented in its entirety. This policy has been opposed by the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, School Syllabus will be enriched with morals based Tamil literature Aathichoodi, Kondrai Vendhan, Naaladiyar, Vivega Sindhamani and spiritual literature like Thevaram, Thiruvasagam etc., Tamil Nadu government school syllabus will be enriched and upgraded on par with the CBSE syllabus focusing on skill development.
Total prohibition will be implemented in the State and 10 percent reservation for economically weaker sections belonging to 67 groups in the general category including the minorities who are not eligible for any other reservation are some of the other promises made in the manifesto. Chennai Corporation will be divided into three municipal corporations similar to New Delhi. Coovum river will be cleaned and used as a waterway to ease the traffic.