Amit Shah releases BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ in Mumbai, says BJP will not allow religion-based reservation in the country

Union Home Minister Amit Shah releases the BJP’s manifesto for the Maharashtra Assembly polls in Mumbai on November 10, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Vinaya Deshpande

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday released the BJP manifesto for Maharashtra polls, which included 25 highlights such as skill census, increase in the financial assistance under the Ladki Bahin Yojana from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100, loan waiver to farmers, food and shelter to all the poor, an increase in old age pension from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100, stabilisation of prices of essential items, and a monthly stipend of ₹10,000 to 10 lakh students. Refusing to give any hint about the chief ministerial face for the Mahayuti coalition, he said the decision would be taken by all the three alliance partners after the elections.

Mr. Shah claimed that the Congress would deny reservation to the backward communities and would instead give reservation to Muslims, and asked if Maharashtra would want that. He targeted Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, and expressed confidence of winning the coming Assembly elections in complete majority, without needing any other support. “There is no question of needing any help. The Mahayuti will win comfortably by itself,” he told reporters in BKC.

Poser to Uddhav

“Uddhavji, where you want to sit, is your call. But let me tell you, you have sat with those who opposed Ram mandir, the abrogation of Article 370, Uniform Civil Code, Waqf board improvement. You are sitting with those who do not respect Veer Savarkar. I want to ask Uddhav Thackeray, can he request Rahul Gandhi to say two good words for Vinayak Savarkar? Can any Congress leader say a few good words about Balasaheb Thackeray? I want to ask Sharad Pawar. You were a minister for 10 years in UPA. What did you do for the people of Maharashtra?” Mr. Shah asked.

Speaking about the manifesto, the Home Minister said the first 10 points had already been announced by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “The aspirations of Maharashtra are reflected in our manifesto. When we give a word, we keep our promise. May it be the abrogation of Article 370 or the scrapping of triple talaq. Nobody had thought that it will be a reality. Whereas the MVA [Maha Vikas Aghadi] schemes are like insulting of Maharashtra. I want to tell the people of Maharashtra, give us the mandate for the third continuous time,” he said.

Meanwhile, a protester who entered the press conference of Mr. Shah and shouted slogans against price rise and inflation, was taken away by security personnel. Security was beefed up thereafter.

Mr. Shah hit out at the Congress, claiming that it did not fulfil its promise in Himachal Pradesh, in Telangana, and in Karnataka, where it had come to power. “The Constitution which Rahul Gandhi waved, was blank. This is the biggest insult of the Constitution. Now, Muslim reservation request has been accepted by Nana Patole. Does the population of Maharashtra agree with this? I want to warn you, you should take this into consideration,” he said.

List of schemes

Introducing the manifesto, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “We will give ₹2,100 to women. We will also give a loan waiver to farmers. We will bring about a ‘bhavantar scheme’, under which the difference between the MSP [Minimum Support Price] and the market rate will be credited to the farmer’s account directly. We will give food and shelter to each poor person. The old age pension scheme will be increased from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100. We will do market intervention to generate employment for 25 lakh youth. We will give stipend to 10 lakh students. Over one lakh jobs have already been given in the government sector. Within 100 days of the government, vision document 2029 will be released. We will conduct a skill census. We will make Maharashtra a fintech and AI hub. Till 2027, we will create 50 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Akanksha Kendra will be started for the incubation of start-ups.”

The manifesto is a 56-page document distributed in 14 sections like agriculture and allied sector, economy and industry, education, youth and sports, healthcare, mahila sanman, social justice, good governance and public administration, infrastructure, urban development, rural development, culture and tourism, environment forest and natural resources, Mumbai Metropolitan Region.