Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh trashed the Bharatiya Janata Party manifesto — Sankalp Patra — for the Lok Sabha election, saying it was a `bundle of lies’.
The Sankalp Patra was released in Delhi on Monday.
Leaders of Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Congress and other parties said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre had singularly failed to deliver the promises that the BJP made ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election . They said that with yet another manifesto, the BJP was trying to take the people for a ride again.
The BJP, however, contradicted the opposition criticism. BJP state general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said in Lucknow on Monday that the party’s manifesto was indicative of the commitment of the Modi government for sustainable development of the country and projections for the future.
“We have promised pension to farmers and traders above the age of 60 years and have committed to double farmers’ income. Besides, the party has focused its attention on all important sectors of the economy,” Pathak said.
On the other hand, SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said that the BJP manifesto was a bundle of lies and the party had again tried to befool the people like they did in the run-up to the 2014 general elections by promising Rs 15 lakh each to the voters and the mythical ‘achhe din’.
In a statement released on Monday, the BSP termed the BJP manifesto as an effort to divert public attention from the government’s failures.
“People cannot believe them and they should tender an apology to the people as they have only worked for the capitalists,” BSP president Mayawati said in the statement.
She added that the BJP and the Narendra Modi government “should have issued an action-taken report instead of the new manifesto, but they do not have the courage to do so.”
“Barring a handful of capitalists, the 130 crore people (of India) are still waiting for the promised ‘achhe din’ and Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts,” the BSP chief said and asked how such an “anti-poor, irresponsible and jumlebaaz” government could be truly patriotic.
“The promises being made to the people this time will once again meet the same fate like the promises made in 2014 as during the last five years, not a single promise has been fulfilled,” she said.
Congress Lok Sabha observer and party chief whip in Rajya Sabha, MA Khan, said the BJP had again promised Ram temple at Ayodhya, and this promise was a farce.
“The BJP is now known for dishing out false promises and the people of the country will teach them a lesson in the election,” he said.
Reacting to the Sankalp Patra, Rashtriya Lok Dal national spokesman Anil Dubey said it was a bundle of lies with which the BJP had tried to trick voter again. “It is like old wine in new bottle. There is nothing new in it,” he said.
Aaam Aadmi Party’s UP in-charge Sanjay Singh said the BJP manifesto was a new version of old lies.