Dropping Article 370 from its ‘Vision Document’, the BJP on Thursday threw an open challenge to its rival political parties to contest the 2014 Assembly polls in J&K on the plank of all around development of the State without debating contentious ‘political’ issues confronting the State population.
Doing away with the traditional practice of releasing a party manifesto, State BJP in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Avinash Rai Khanna along with State BJP chief and party MP Jugal Kishore released a ‘Vision Document’ which outlined the road map of inclusive development of all the three regions of the State.
“We have a vision to make J&K a peaceful, progressive and developed State of the Union of India and to accomplish our dream we have focussed on issues related to common people,” Avinash Rai Khanna said defending the partys decision not to incorporate contentious issues like Article 370 in the ‘Vision Document’.
“The BJP promises a corruption-free, responsive and people friendly Government to the people of the State,” he added.
Reaching out to the flood -affected population in the State, the BJP accorded top priority to relief and rehabilitation work. Briefing mediapersons on the occasion Avinash Rai Khanna claimed if voted to power the BJP Government would ensure direct transfer of cash in the accounts of flood affected victims in the State.
The BJP also promised grant of citizenship rights, including right to vote in Assembly and local-bodies elections, right to immovable property, right to higher and technical education and right to State Government jobs to the refugees from West Pakistan.The BJP document claimed, if voted to power the party would initiate the process of 'just and honorable re-settlement' of Kashmiri pandits in Kashmir valley with security and dignity.
The BJP also promised to reserve three out of 46 Assembly seats for displaced Kashmiris in the valley and make provisions for the establishment of a Sharda University.BJP's ‘Vision Document’ also addressed long pending demand of people of the state of establishing parity in the ex-gratia paid to those killed in cross border firing and terrorist violence. "We will ensure SRO 43 will be made applicable to those killed due to cross border firing", Khanna said.
The party also said that it would reserve five seats for refugees from the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir from the 24 seats kept vacant for the POJK.Showcasing TIME model, BJP MP said "Our focus would be on the TIME model in which we would focus on tourism, infrastructure, modernisation, empowerment." In its Vision Document the party also promises to give 33 per cent reservation to women in the legislative Assembly and legislative council, 'dogra certificate' to the eligible youth, special recruitment drive in J&K police and other belt forces for the border residents, 5 marla plots in safe zones to border residents, develop Jammu and Srinagar as smart cities, open sports university in the State.