‘Terrorism does not have a religion’; Party to revitalize minority affair ministry
By Andalib Akhter, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Even though, the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya and abrogation of article 370 is hallmark of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election manifesto released on Friday, the Party has enough promises for the uplift of the minorities particularly Muslims in the country. If Hindutva agenda is kept apart, the party manifesto has offered more than any other secular party for the community, for a party that blames others for ‘minority appeasement’ this is quite strange.
From Muslim contribution to the country to their economic upliftement to education to Urdu, to wakf every thing is mention prominently in BJP manifesto released by party chief Rajnath Singh and party’s prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishan Advani.
Much to the comfort of the Muslims who are facing the tag of terrorism, the party manifesto unflinchingly remove the label by saying that terrorism does not have a religion. “Those who espouse terrorism have stepped outside the moral code of their religion into barbarism. We must lift community-relations from the morass of misunderstanding”, the party manifesto said.
It said that a vibrant, modern India can have no place for either the perpetrators or the exploiters of fear.
The BJP manifesto said that was unfortunate fact that Muslims form a substantial part of the ‘underprivileged’. “The principal reason for this is the fact that the Congress, a dominant presence in power for six decades, has secured minority support through the politics of fear rather than a healthy diet of development”, the party accused Congress.
Contrary to the perception that it would try to remove the Ministry of Minority Affairs itself from the government, the party not only promised to continue the ministry it assured the community that it would revitalized it into a hub for economic projects specifically targeted towards employment creation. “There will be special emphasis on crafts and small-scale industries that have been traditional employers of minorities. The neglect of the Congress-led UPA Government was evident in the fact that even monies allotted for minority welfare programmes in States like Maharashtra were largely, if not wholly, unspent”, the manifesto said.
While suggesting that the unfortunate phase of confused loyalties in some minority sections is over the party manifesto said that generations have been born in free India who are as committed to the nation as the nation is committed to them. “The success stories of Muslims in sports, cinema, industry and a host of other fields, as individuals and team players, makes every Indian proud”, the BJP stressed.
On conversion it said that the BJP would facilitate, under the auspices of noted religious leaders, the setting up of a permanent inter-faith consultative mechanism to promote harmony among and trust between communities. It said that this mechanism would also be used for a sustained and sincere Inter-Faith Dialogue between leaders of the Hindu and Christian communities on all aspects of life, including the issue of religious conversions
On Waqf properties it said that the BJP would examine the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee regarding Waqf properties headed by Shri K Rahman Khan, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, and would, in consultation with Muslim religious leaders, take steps to remove encroachments from and unauthorised occupation of waqf properties.
On Urdu the party said that languages would be strengthened by providing adequate resources so that they become a powerful vehicle for creating a knowledge society.
“Indian languages are repositories of our rich literature, history, culture, art and scientific achievements. Many of our dialects are important source for knowing our heritage”, the party manifesto said.
The party also promised to give 35 kg rice per month, at Rs two per kg, for families living below poverty line, to counter to the Congress’ offer of rice at Rs three per kg. The BJP also promised to provide wheat at Rs 3.5 per kg.
The BJP manifesto comes after 11 years as the party had released the National Democratic Alliance’s manifestos along with its coalition partners in 1999 and 2004. The BJP had then refrained from making any reference to the Ram temple issue, saying it remained on the party’s agenda but was not a part of the NDA’s national agenda for governance.