The Congress on Monday cited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s 2014 poll document and released a list of its 125 “broken promises” as the ruling party issued its manifesto ahead of the seven-phase national elections that begin on April 11.
The list of the “broken promises” relates to issues of jobs, 50% rise in farmer income, price rise, corruption and bringing back black money stashed abroad.
“Today, the country’s 125 crore people are demanding answers from [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi on 125 promises made before coming to power. People will not accept your deception document anymore and time has come for you to pick your bags and go,” said Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Congress leader Ahmed Patel contrasted his party’s manifesto released last Tuesday, which had a picture of the people, with that of the BJP. He said the BJP’s manifesto only has Prime Minister Narendra Modi on its cover. “On one hand is the public on the Congress’s manifesto cover, while the BJP document has only Modi’s picture depicting ‘me and only me’. I feel this BJP manifesto is lies versus justice. I feel it is lies and only lies. It would have been better if they issued an apology as in the last five years they had nothing to show.”
In its manifesto, the BJP has pledged zero tolerance towards terrorism, pension for small and marginal farmers among other things.
Surjewala said Modi has “poisoned” the people’s confidence in the government. He pointed out the BJP manifesto does not talk about ₹15 lakh in every bank account.
Surjewala was referring to a speech Modi made in the run-up to the 2014 elections in which he said every poor household may get ₹15 lakh if the black money stashed abroad is brought back.
Surjewala added the BJP manifesto does not talk about building smart cities, Skill India scheme and cheap petrol or diesel either. “The people understand you well and you stand exposed before them and thus they will not be won over by your gimmicks and lies anymore. You can befool some people sometimes and some people always, but all the people cannot be befooled all the time.”
Surjewala cited issues like the launch of Goods and Services Tax in 2017, and the 2016 demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes. He added they were missing from the BJP’s manifesto and that Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and union ministers Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj did not address them.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee attacked the BJP over the promise of passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to drive out infiltrators. “If you vote for them [BJP], they will turn you all into refugees in your own country. We will never allow NRC [National Register of Citizens] and the Citizenship Bill in our state,” she said.
In its manifesto, the BJP has promised to expeditiously complete the NRC, which excluded over 4 million people from a draft list in July as part of a campaign to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from Assam. The manifesto said the process will be extended to the country’s other parts.
National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah referred to the BJP’s promise of abrogating Constitution’s Article 370 that gives Jammu and Kashmir special status. He added the state’s accession to India in 1947 will also not stand if they remove the provision. “I swear by Allah, I think this is the wish of Almighty. We will get freedom from them [if the provision is removed],” Abdullah said.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said the BJP was playing with the fire which will turn the entire region into ashes. “The BJP has failed on all fronts. Now, it is raking such issues through which it will try to garner votes. Article 370 binds Jammu and Kashmir with India and acts as a bridge. When this bridge is demolished, then India’s control over Kashmir becomes illegal…”
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the BJP’s reiteration of its promise to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya was a part of the attempts to “sharpen communal polarisation”.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said the BJP has failed to fulfil its promises and has no moral right to release a fresh manifesto. She added the BJP should have released an action taken report instead. “Barring a handful of capitalists, the 130 crore people are still waiting for the promised achhe din [good days] and ₹15 lakh.”