By Rajeev Khanna, IANS
Bhopal : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) placed itself in poll mode Saturday by giving a call to its cadres to reach out to the masses with issues like the government policy of “minority appeasement” and the controversial Sethusamudram project.
Party leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy stated in clear terms: “The Lok Sabha elections are imminent. The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government is in power but is devoid of any governance. The government is rudderless, directionless and merely sticking to office to complete a few extra days.
“Each party which is a part of the UPA-Left combine is now positioning to strengthen itself in a possible election,” Rudy said, adding the BJP was ready for the polls at any time.
Talk of the snap poll dominated the second day of the main opposition party’s national executive meet here, but its leaders refrained from projecting any name as its prime ministerial candidate.
However, they were clear about the issues that will dominate the next elections, with Ram Sethu leading the list.
The central government has taken up the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project for a shorter navigation route. The BJP contends that it would damage the Ram Sethu was constructed by Lord Ram, according to the Ramayana, though scientists say there is no archaeological evidence to support the epic.
BJP passed a separate resolution on the controversial issue.
Party leader and former central minister Murli Manohar Joshi said: “The BJP will provide all sorts of support to the Rameshwaram Ram Setu Raksha Manch which is leading the movement for protection, preservation and declaration of the Sethu as a national heritage monument.”
Addressing a public rally in the afternoon, party president Rajnath Singh appealed to a mammoth gathering to remove from power the “anti-Ram forces” in the next elections.
Referring to an affidavit – since withdrawn – the central government filed in the Supreme Court questioning the existence of Lord Ram, Rajnath Singh said: “Even Aurangzeb or the British, who ruled the country for a long time, never dared to point fingers at the existence of Lord Ram.
“Questioning the existence of Lord Ram is like asking your father to prove that he is your father.”
The BJP also took on the UPA government on the issue of price rise saying in its political resolution that “The government is a complete failure in the matter of controlling prices of essential commodities and in the management of the farm economy. The intensity of the farmers’ suicides continues unabated.”
The party has also charged the government with minority appeasement and using the Muslim electorate as an instrument of political power.
Criticising the UPA for accepting the recommendations of the Rajinder Sachar Committee on the socio-economic conditions of the Muslims, Rudy said: “The Sachar Committee is a charter for social divisiveness. The essence of the committee is to have job reservations based on religion, developmental priorities in areas inhabited by one religious denomination and communal budgeting.
“The BJP is of the clear opinion that the recommendations of the Sachar Committee are constitutionally questionable and unacceptable.”
The BJP demanded rejection of the committee’s recommendations and sought development of all regions and poverty alleviation across the country rather than of areas with one religious denomination.
Accusing the UPA government of going soft on terrorism, it claimed that the infiltration from across the borders was on the rise. Rudy said that the demographic profile of certain regions was changing.
“The BJP is of the opinion that the national register of citizens should be updated and the detection of foreigners should be based on the register.”
Attacking the government for repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) the party’s political resolution says that the ability of Indian intelligence and security agencies to solve terrorist crimes has been seriously eroded.
The party has asserted that India can no longer claim to be free from Al Qaeda.
BJP once against raised the issue of Article 370 of the constitution that provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“The problem of Jammu and Kashmir is one of cross-border terrorism, security, economic development and elimination of regional discriminations. The UPA and its friends are suggesting solutions, which are worse than the disease. If their policies are to be accepted, the journey of special status to separatism would indeed be complete,” it said.
On the issue of the Indo-US nuclear deal, the party made its stand clear saying that it is opposing it because it was limiting India’s nuclear option.
L.K. Advani, former party president and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, said at the public meeting: “The deal, which would come under the scrutiny of the Hyde Act, would also infringe on the country’s independent foreign policy.
“India is the largest democracy in the world and the US is the oldest democracy. Both should cooperate on equal footing. But under the present conditions of the Indo-US nuclear deal, India would lose its freedom to undertake nuclear tests.”
During the day while continuing deliberations on various issues the BJP also accepted the recommendations of a report by a committee led by Sushma Swaraj which provides for 33 percent reservation to women at all organisational levels of the party.