The Prime Minister said the manifesto focuses on four pillars of women power, youth power, farmers and the poor…reports Asian Lite News
The BJP released its much-awaited manifesto for the Lok Sabha election this morning, underlining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on ‘GYAN’ – the poor, the youth, farmers and the women. With a bust of BR Ambedkar and the Constitution on stage, the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP chief JP Nadda released the party’s manifesto at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.
The Prime Minister said the manifesto focus on four pillars of Viksit Bharat — women power, youth power, farmers and the poor. He said it focuses on the “dignity of life” and the “quality of life”, the quantity of opportunity as well as the quality of opportunity. The government will focus on taking piped gas to all homes and providing free electricity through solar power, the Prime Minister said.
The manifesto said the Centre’s free ration scheme will be extended by 5 years. The government, it said, will focus on self-reliance in production of pulses, edible oils and vegetables to stabilise price and protect the poor’s plates. Ayushman Bharat scheme and the PM Awas Yojana will be expanded and drinking water supply will be taken to every home, it said.
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For the farmers, the BJP manifesto said it will continue to provide the annual assistance of Rs 6,000 and will strengthen the crop insurance scheme through use of technology. The document said the government will continue periodic hikes in Minimum Support Price for crops, set up new clusters for production of essentials and build more storage facilities.
Addressing the media, Nadda gave a rundown of the BJP government’s achievements over the past decade in power. He reiterated that ‘Modi ki guarantee’ — the BJP’s key poll slogan — “is a guarantee that all guarantees will be fulfilled”.
Referring to the Covid pandemic, the BJP chief said that while developed countries oscillated between prioritising economy and the health of its citizens, the Narendra Modi government’s decisive steps helped India recover from the impact of Covid. He also said India came up with two vaccines and 220 crore doses within nine months and also helped reach the shots to other countries.
Cong calls manifesto an apology
The Congress trashed the BJP’s Lok Sabha poll manifesto on Sunday as a “jumla patra” full of rhetoric, with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee is a “warranty of jumlas” as he has failed to fulfil his past promises.
The opposition party also accused Modi of not honouring his promises made on jobs, doubling farmers’ income and tackling inflation, and alleged that the prime minister is now shifting the goalposts by talking about 2047.
The Congress said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto should have been named “maafinama” and Modi should have apologised to farmers, youngsters, poor people and Dalits for not fulfilling the promises made in the last 10 years.
Kharge accused Modi of not doing any major work during his tenure that would have benefitted the people of the country.
Modi released the manifesto at the BJP headquarters here on Sunday. The document has a special focus on the poor, youngsters, farmers and women.
Kharge said youngsters are demanding jobs and the prices of food items have skyrocketed, but the BJP’s manifesto says nothing on these issues.
“No accountability for old guarantees, just a jugglery of empty words! ‘Modi ki Guarantee’ equals ‘warranty of jumlas (rhetoric)’,” he said in a post in Hindi on X and posed 14 questions for the prime minister.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, “Two words are missing from the BJP’s manifesto and Narendra Modi’s speech — inflation and unemployment.” “INDIA’s plan is very clear — recruitment in 30 lakh posts and a permanent job of Rs 1 lakh to every educated youngsters. This time the youngsters are not going to fall into Modi’s trap. They will strengthen the hands of the Congress and bring an ’employment revolution’ in the country,” Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said in the manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Modi had promised to bring back black money by forming a special task force, but electoral bonds were introduced instead.
The BJP had promised to strengthen law and order in the northeast, but violence is continuing in Manipur and Modi has been silent on it, he said.
Asked about the Ram temple issue, Khera said, “Ram is an issue of faith and not of politics. We will not allow the BJP to drag him into politics.” On “one nation, one election”, he said the Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases in certain states and the BJP is talking of one election.
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