With just four days ahead of the first phase of the polling, the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls which Prime Minister Narendra Modi released in the presence of party president JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other leaders, on Sunday featured India’s Olympics bid in 2036, bringing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), making “One Nation, One Election” a reality, implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), making India the third-largest economy in the world, free ration for the poor for the next five years under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, implementation of North East policy, building Thiruvalluvar cultural centres all over the world and law against paper leaks, among other promises.
It has promised to accelerate development of robust infrastructure along the Indo-China, Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Myanmar borders. This comes on a day of the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.
With its focus on a roadmap for “Viksit Bharat” (developed India), the BJP’s manifesto is replete with the word “Bharat” and “Bharatiya”, instead of India and Indian. While the BJP manifesto did include the word “India”, the prevalence of “Bharat” far outweighed its usage. The BJP’s manifesto looks like a balance between two Indias — a socialist India, which needs hand-holding, while aspiring to be the next superpower that will call the shots.
In its 76 pages Modi ki Gaurantee-2024” Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar” Sankalp Patra, the BJP’s manifesto listed out a comprehensive overview of the NDA Government’s achievements. It also charted out the vision for building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
The manifesto’s promises are categorised under 10 social groups, including the poor, middle class, women, youth, senior citizens, farmers, fishermen, labourers, traders and traditionally deprived sections like the SC and ST, and 14 issues, including secure India, prosperous India and ease of living in cities among others.
The document also talks about expanding the 5G networks and taking the lead in the development of 6G technology, making India a global manufacturing hub, organising Ramayan festivals across the globe to commemorate the “Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla”, and working towards bringing back “Bharatiya idols and artifacts that were taken away illegally from Bharat”. It also spoke of considering bullet trains in north, south and east India and expanding “new age” trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat.
The Prime Minister said the manifesto focuses on four pillars of Viksit Bharat -- women power, youth power, farmers and the poor. The Prime Minister handed over copies of the manifesto to the representatives of the four broad groups -- Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata and Naari Shakti (GYAN) -- who were beneficiaries of the Government’s schemes.
The BJP promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code.
“Bringing Uniform Civil Code: Article 44 of the Constitution lists Uniform Civil Code as one of the Directive Principles of State Policy. The BJP believes that women will only get equal rights, and the BJP reiterates its stand to draw a Uniform Civil Code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonising them with the modern times,” it said.
Notably, the 2019 manifesto carried the same paragraph. The manifesto makes no mention of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The BJP manifesto said it will implement One Nation, One Election a Reality. “We have set up a High Powered Committee to examine the issues of conducting simultaneous elections and will work towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee,” the document said. The manifesto promised to make provisions for a common electoral roll for all levels of elections.
The party has also promised to expand the Government’s flagship infrastructure and welfare programmes, including the road, housing, Ujjwala gas connection and Ayushman Bharat health insurance schemes, and announced free electricity for poor households.
Touching on its cultural agenda after having fulfilled its decades-long promise of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the BJP said its Government will undertake “significant new projects” across the country to develop religious and tourist sites inspired by the Kashi Vishwanath corridor model. It promised holistic development of Ayodhya, the establishment of “Bharatiya Sanskriti Kosh” for the preservation of ancient civilisational traditions and culture and promoting “wed in India” by developing select destinations as wedding venues.
On the preserving and promoting the legacy of Lord Ram, the BJP will launch a global outreach programme for documenting and promoting the tangible and intangible legacy of Lord Ram in all countries. “We will celebrate Ramayan Utsav with great fervour across the globe to commemorate the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla,” the document read.
The manifesto also reflects the BJP’s aspirations for India’s foreseeable future, where the country becomes a superpower, or in his language, ‘Vishwaguru’. High on a successful G20 presidency last year, India wants to host the world’s biggest sporting event - the Olympics - in 2036.”We will facilitate IOA to bid for hosting the Olympic Games in 2036, and develop sports infrastructure like stadiums and state-of-the-art training centres to host major international sporting events,” said party’s manifesto. Earlier, Modi echoed the promise of hosting Olympics in the country during the 141st IOC Session that was held in Mumbai.
The document promised implementation of the CAA. “We have taken the historic step of enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and will implement it to confer citizenship to all eligible persons,” it said.
On combating corruption, the manifesto document said, “In contrast with the previous Government, we have given transparent and accountable governance to our citizens. We will continue our fight against corruption through strict implementation of laws and use of technology.”
The BJP manifesto pledged to establish cultural centres worldwide in honour of the Tamil saint Thiruvalluvar and to promote the Tamil language. It pledged to seek permanent membership in the UN Security Council to elevate Bharat’s position in global decision making.
Reiterating the BJP-led Government’s commitment towards creating a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, Modi termed the BJP ‘s manifesto a step in that direction. The BJP’s sankalp patra envisions economic growth, sustainable development goals, improvement in the ease of living and doing business, enhanced infrastructure, and bolstered social welfare initiatives.
During his speech at the BJP headquarters, Modi credited the Government schemes and programmes for “transformation that has taken place in the lives of the people” and called it “the biggest achievement of our Government over the last 10 years”.
Modi has also credited the “trust and support” that voters placed in him for the Government being able to take “historic and major decisions” such as the implementation of GST, abrogation of Article 370, a new law on Triple Talaq, Nari Shakti Vandan Act and strong steps against terrorism and Left-Wing Extremism.
The manifesto talks about empowering ‘lakhpati didis’ and giving free ration to 80 crore citizens for the next five years under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
After the massive success of Chandrayaan-3, the BJP has promised to land an astronaut on the moon in the ‘Amrit Kaal’ in the next 25 years. The Prime Minister has also given the “guarantee” of establishing a space station (Bharatiya Antariksha Station) and would “also operationalise a second launch complex for the country”.
The BJP said it is committed to strengthening institutes like IITs, IIMs and AIIMS.
The BJP guaranteed that India will be the third largest economic power. “Within a decade, we have brought Bharat from 11th to 5th largest economic power. This was possible due to right policies, focussed execution and meticulous planning,” it said.
Free electricity to poor households under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana was another key promise in the manifesto.
For the middle class, it promises several measures to fulfil their dream of owning a house, creating high-value jobs and improved infrastructure for living. To the youth, it promised strict implementation of the recently enacted law against paper leaks, boosting the start-up ecosystem and ensuring employment opportunities.
With 6G, expansion of water metro or energy independence by 2047, all the ingredients of an India that is up for the big league finds a mention in the manifesto. Be it making India the largest hub of lab-grown diamonds or a global leader in electric vehicles, it talks about being a superpower. The manifesto has also promised to make India “one of the global majors” in chip manufacturing while also talking about India becoming a global hub of rail and aviation manufacturing, flexing its economic muscle to become a $3 trillion economy.
The BJP also promised to ensure creating infrastructure like women’s hostels and creches near industrial and commercial centres to promote participation of women in the workforce. It said it will expand health services to ensure a healthy life for women. These services will be focussed on preventing and reducing cases of anaemia, breast cancer, cervical cancer and osteoporosis.
It promised to systematically implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to ensure representation for women in the Parliament and State Legislatures.
The Ayushman Bharat scheme will cover people from the transgender community and all senior citizens over 70 years of age and provide them access to free and quality healthcare. The BJP vowed to include auto, taxi, truck and other drivers in all social security schemes.
The manifesto promises to launch a “Krishi Infrastructure Mission for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of agri-infrastructure projects”, expand irrigation facilities, create a network of grain storage facilities in rural areas, launch an indigenous Bharat Krishi satellite, and expand PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras.
There is no mention of doubling of farmers’ income in this manifesto. For the farmers, the BJP manifesto said it will continue to provide the annual assistance of Rs 6,000 and will strengthen the crop insurance scheme through use of technology. The document said the Government will continue periodic hikes in Minimum Support Price for crops, set up new clusters for production of essentials and build more storage facilities.
