INDIA bloc slams BJP over manifesto
: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections released on Sunday is a reflection of the party’s “surrender before the dictator”, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has alleged.
“This is the first step towards dictatorial politics by a political party, abandoning concepts of politics. ‘Sankalp Patra’ has been termed ‘Modi Ki Guarantee.’ It means that now the BJP is not contesting the election. It has surrendered before the dictator,” said JMM general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya, addressing a press conference at the party office on Sunday.
Bhattacharya said this manifesto suggests that the BJP wants to work in its way but expects votes from the people.
“You do not ask me anything. You vote for me. I will do whatever I want,” he said, interpreting the BJP’s manifesto.
Bhattacharya criticised the BJP for not mentioning anything concerning common people while releasing the manifesto, claiming it’s only for capitalists.
“There is no mention of unemployment, price hike, genLord eration of employment opportunity, education, farmers’ problem, and Manipur violence in the manifesto. Asked to comment on the Uniform Civil Code mentioned in the manifesto, Bhattacharya said: “This is an attempt to damage the federal structure... There was no threat to Hindus when the Mughals ruled for 700 years. There was no threat to Hindus when the British ruled for 200 years...When BJP ruled for ten years it is observing Hindus in danger.”
JMM’s ally, the Congress, echoed similar sentiments.
The party’s state President, Rajesh Thakur, termed BJP’s manifesto as “Constitution Badlo Patra”.
“The Sankalp Patra of BJP is like a deception. It is not a resolution letter for the public interest but a document of the resolution taken by BJP to change the Constitution of the country,” Thakur said.
He added: “Prime Minister Modi is once again trying to cheat the tribal community by invoking the name of Lord Birsa Munda. First of all, he should clarify that till now no information has been received regarding the demands of the Sarna Dharma Code of the tribal community following the footsteps of Birsa Munda. What action has been taken when the Grand Alliance Government of Jharkhand has also passed the bill to implement the Sarna Dharma Code and sent it to the central government? It does not suit Prime Minister Modi, who has sent former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who belongs to the tribal community, to jail by implicating him in false cases to speak about the interests of the tribal community.”
“How conscious the BJP is for the interests of the people of the country is clear from its manifesto, which contains all the words of slogans, but fundamental problems of ‘inflation and unemployment’ which people are facing are not there in this manifesto. Such a bundle of lies will be seriously examined by the country’s youth, farmers, women, and all other sections of the society, in which there will be no concern for employment nor farmers, nor the protection of women’s rights, nor the people below the poverty line. There has been talk of making the residents economically prosperous,” he said.
A BJP insider said the party will respond to the comments during a press conference on Monday.