The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday promised to enact an-anti conversion law with stringent provisions in Maharashtra, and also assured a skill census for training as per industry needs as well as free ration to low-income families.
Amit Shah, Union Minister for Home Affairs, unveiled in Mumbai a 25-point 'Sankalp Patra 2024', which promises an increase in government's allowance for women to Rs2,100 per month from Rs1,500 under the Ladki Bahin scheme.
The party, in its manifesto for the November 20 state Assembly election, also promised to create 25 lakh job opportunities and assured a stipend of Rs 10,000 every month to 10 lakh students in the state. The ruling Mahayuti comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena of the Eknath Shinde faction and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of the state.
The BJP's manifesto promises an anti-conversion law and provides for stringent action against forced and deceitful conversions. Though the skill census, the ruling party assured to ascertain the needs of the industry and upgrade skill training wherever necessary.
Under the Akshay Anna Yojana, low-income families will be provided free food items every month through the Public Distribution System (PDS), as per the manifesto. The BJP also plans to develop the state into an advanced robotic and Artificial Intelligence (AI) training hub.
It also promises to create 10 lakh new business leaders through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Akanksha centres in each district. The party promises to create 50 lakh lakpati didis by 2027, for which an industrial cluster of 500 self-help groups will be created and an initial corpus of Rs1,000 crore will be provided.
The manifesto promises to develop Nagpur, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik and Ahilyanagar as modern aeronautical and space manufacturing centres. It also promises that the SGST on the purchase of fertilisers will be returned to farmers as grants. The prices of essential commodities will be kept stable, according to the manifesto.
Addressing rallies in Raver assembly constituency in Jalgaon and Malkapur seat in Buldhana, Shah pointed out to a recent memorandum submitted by the Ulema Council to the opposition Congress seeking 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education for the Muslim community.
"Maharashtra Congress has agreed to end reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs and give it to Muslims as demanded by the Ulema Council," Shah said in Buldhana. The demand for 10 per cent quota for the Muslim community would eat into the benefits of Dalits, tribals and Other Backward Classes, since there is a 50 per cent cap on quota and any increase will come at the cost of existing ones, he told the gathering.
"Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders' lust for power has blinded them to long-term consequences of their actions on marginalised communities. The BJP is firmly committed to welfare of all communities but is strictly against any form of reservations for Muslims. As long as there is even one BJP MP or MLA, we will oppose religion-based reservation. This is our commitment," he asserted. Shah said the BJP's vision for the state aligns with the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Shah also dared Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to get Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to hail Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Shah also pointed out that under the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA dispensation, Maharashtra lost its competitive edge in industrial growth and the state fell to fourth rank,
Shah also said Thackeray was siding with the Congress, whose leaders have insulted Balasaheb Thackeray and Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar. After releasing the manifesto for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, Shah also said his party will not allow religion-based reservation in the country. "I want to ask Uddhav Thackeray if he can request Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to say two good words for Veer Savarkar," Shah said.
