Is BJP’s manifesto a ‘surgical strike’ on Mamata’s TMC camp ahead of Bengal polls? Saffron camp’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ explained

The BJP also wrapped its Hindutva plank in the language of Bengali pride and culture, seeking to blunt the TMC’s long-running charge that the saffron party is “anti-Bengali” and culturally alien to the state.

New Delhi: With West Bengal polls around the corner, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah released the party’s Sankalp Patra for the West Bengal Assembly elections. The BJP’s Sankalp Patra promises to implement the 7th Pay Commission and Uniform Civil Code (UCC) within six months of coming to power in the state. The saffron camp’s manifesto appears to be its sharpest bid yet to prise away the social coalition that has kept the TMC in power since 2011.

This time, the party has pulled out all the stops to woo voters, wrapping its manifesto with a slew of welfare promises along with strict laws targeting ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad.’ While releasing the manifesto, the Home Minister launched a scathing attack against Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accusing her of practicing appeasement politics.

Shah, while releasing the manifesto, said that the public feels fearful and disillusioned and is seeking change from the heart. He said that in the last 10 years, the Bharatiya Janata Party has established itself as a constructive opposition in West Bengal, and today, BJP is working as the principal opposition party in the state assembly.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• BJP promised that they would implement the Uniform Civil Code in Bengal within six months
• Appoint a “son of Bengal” as chief minister and establish what he called “Ram Rajya” in the state.
• The manifesto promised strict laws against “love jihad” and “land jihad” and a law guaranteeing every citizen the freedom to practice religion and faith.
• Amit Shah declared that a BJP government would adopt a “detect, delete, and deport” policy against infiltrators.
• “We will move with zero tolerance towards infiltration,” he said, promising to seal Bengal’s borders, stop cattle smuggling, and clear government land of “encroachers and infiltrators.”
• The manifesto promised “citizenship and rehabilitation for all Hindu refugees”
• The BJP said that within 45 days of coming to power, it would provide all land needed for border fencing and introduce modern scientific patrolling in rivers and canals with the Centre’s help.
• The manifesto promised three white papers on 15 years of alleged TMC corruption, deterioration of law and order and political violence in the state.
• BJP promised a commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to investigate political violence and take every case “to its logical conclusion”, regardless of which party suffered.
• The BJP also sought to breach the TMC’s strongest bastion — women voters.

UCC in Bengal within 6 months

Defending the UCC promise amid TMC attacks that it was majoritarian, Shah said the proposal did not originate with the BJP.

“It is the Constituent Assembly that recommended it. Is having the same law for every citizen appeasement? Or is it appeasement when one citizen is allowed four marriages and another only one?” he said.

Rs 3000 per month if voted to power

The party’s announcement of Rs 3,000 per month to every woman in Bengal is seen as a masterstroke by the saffron camp. This announcement is a direct counter to the TMC’s flagship Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. The TMC, in its own manifesto, has promised to raise Lakshmir Bhandar to Rs 1,500 for women from the general category and Rs 1,700 for SC and ST women.

The party has also promised free travel on all state-run buses, 33 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs, including the police, and one women’s police station in every block.

Pregnant women would receive Rs 21,000 and six nutrition kits, while two women battalions of the State Reserve Police Force named after Matangini Hazra and Rani Rashmoni would be created.

A special police unit called the “Durga Suraksha Squad” and a self-defence training force for women were also promised. The BJP also sought to tap discontent among unemployed youth, promising them Rs 3,000 a month and an additional Rs 15,000 to prepare for competitive examinations.

The party seeks to outbid the TMC, which has offered Rs 1,500 a month to unemployed youth.

Those who lost jobs because of the school recruitment scam and other corruption-related cases would be given age relaxation of up to five years, while the BJP also promised “transparent, merit-based” recruitment and permanent jobs for deserving candidates.

Shah also attempted to exploit the long-running resentment among state government employees over pending Dearness Allowance, promising DA parity with the Centre and implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission within 45 days.

For Farmers

For farmers, the BJP promised to raise annual assistance under PM-Kisan to Rs 9,000 by adding Rs 3,000 from the state government.

It also promised one crore jobs and self-employment opportunities, a startup network and 75 lakh “Lakhpati Didis”.

The BJP also wrapped its Hindutva plank in the language of Bengali pride and culture, seeking to blunt the TMC’s long-running charge that the saffron party is “anti-Bengali” and culturally alien to the state.

Shah assured Bengalis that a BJP government would not interfere with their food habits and no one will stop people from eating fish and eggs.

Seeking to consolidate its hold over North Bengal, which accounts for 54 assembly seats, the manifesto promised constitutional recognition for Rajbanshi and Kurmali languages, an AIIMS, IIT, IIM, sports university and a fashion designing institute in the region.

(With PTI Inputs)