CHENNAI: The BJP’s manifesto for the TN elections released on Monday seems to be wooing the voters of SC/ST communities, farmers and fishermen. 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 chief L Murugan and other 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 on 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 it to the community would be a gigantic task. The Boyar welfare board will be set up for the benefit of the 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. 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 MBC category.
The manifesto said an Anti-Cow Slaughter Act in accordance with the articles of Indian Constitution would be strictly implemented in Tamil Nadu. 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 of cows recovered from cattle smugglers.