Irresistible offers in BJP’s election manifesto

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (March 24 HS): At a time when all political parties bombard voters with offers of freebies through election manifestoes, the BJP in Kerala chose a different approach in its run up to the April 6 election to the Assembly.  The BJP manifesto released on Wednesday at Thiruvananthapuram by union minister Prakash Javadekar reads like a blue print for the social and economic  development of Kerala without resorting to populist offers and promises.

Other than a monthly pension of Rs 3,500 for the economically backward sections of the society, provision of six free LPG cylinders per year to holders of BPL ration cards and free laptops to high school students, there are no offers of freebies in the manifesto.

The party leadership has decided to fight the election reciting the mantra of development coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In its bid to sooth the sentiments of devotees, the BJP has declared that it would bring in legislation to preserve and secure the age old customs and traditions of Sabarimala Temple, the holy shrine in the Western Ghats in the State which was literally desecrated by the LDF Government and Kerala Police under the pretext of implementing the Supreme Court verdict which allowed entry of women in the reproductive age group  to the temple in violation of the age old custom.

The manifesto also declares that it would release all the temples in the State from the shackles of Government and political parties and hand over the administration to the devotees. As on date whoever comes to power in Kerala, usurp the control of the temples only to swindle the offerings made by the hundreds of thousands of devotees who throng these temples.

The BJP also promises to put an end to Love Jihad by bringing in legislation in consultation with all stakeholders. Kerala is the State that has suffered the worst under the Love Jihad attack unleashed by Jihadi and terrorist elements who woo Hindu and Christian girls with the offer of marriage and high end life only to dump them as sex slaves in Islamic countries.

The scheduled caste and scheduled tribe families that do not own land would be given five acres per household  for farming. Though no time frame has been mentioned, the party promises houses with water and power supply to all poor sections in the State.

Another soothing offer to the holders of the BPL ration card is that they would be eligible for Rs5,000 per person if they have to be admitted to the hospitals as in patients. The infrastructure has been given a major thrust with offers of constructing a third route between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram, the northern and southern ends of the State. All major cities and towns in the State would get wide roads for smooth flow of traffic.

The education sector is in for a bonanza starting with the elevation of  Sree Sankara Sanskrit University as a global centre of excellence  offering research and advanced studies facilities in Indian system of knowledge including astrology, astronomy and philosophy. As on date the Sanskrit University has everything other than Sanskrit, Culture, Customs, traditions. There are reports of rampant medical termination of pregnancies among students thanks to the activism by SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M).

The manifesto offers, for the first time in Kerala, a 30 per cent reduction in the cost of governance. This includes cancellation of pension to the personal staff of ministers. The BJP-led government would also develop a mechanism to curb terror campaign under the pretext of religious, cultural, educational and media activities. Kerala has emerged as the hotbed of terrorism thanks to the appeasement policies pursued by the Congress and  the CPI(M).

Instead of setting up or promoting centres of excellence, the BJP promises to transform the whole State as a land of excellence.

The party has also promised to et up the State’s first Ayurveda University. The Public Health Education sector and Public Health Institutes are the BJP’s another innovative offer to the voters.

The party will set up Viswakarma Gurukuls for promoting traditional skills. The State will have its own civilian awards -Kerala Rathna, Kerala Vibhushan, Kerala Bhooshan, Kerala Sree- for people who have made contributions in various fields.

This could be rated as the best manifesto which has been released in the State till date. But with pollsters forecasting hardly one seat for BJP in the April 6 election, the party may have to wait for another five years to sell these ideas to the electorate who are yet to come out of the Marxist Maya.