B.J.P. must fulfil its core promises to win in 2019

nationalist Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate for BJP and leader Arun Jaitley show victory signs before their meeting in New Delhi December 8, 2013. India’s Congress party was headed for a bruising defeat in key state elections, including in the capital, early results showed on Sunday, underlining the struggle it will face to cling to power in a national election due by May. The centre-left party’s main opponent, the Hindu nationalist BJP, was the clear winner in three big states that went to the polls, though with the count still on it was a neck-and-neck race in a fourth. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood (INDIA – Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) – RTX169K4

By J.G. Arora

— Author is a commentator on national issues.

His e-mail address is:   jgarora@gmail.com

Since what is done after winning elections is more important than just winning elections, non-fulfilment of B.J.P.’s core promises has disappointed many of its core supporters who had toiled for its magnificent victory in the Parliamentary elections of 2014.

During its campaign for 2014’s elections, besides declaring “justice for all and appeasement of none”, B.J.P. condemned the Congress-led government’s discriminatory, anti-Hindu, minority-appeasing and pseudo-secular policies. Moreover, B.J.P. promised Uniform Civil Code, “One Rank One Pension” for retired military personnel, abolition of Article 370, rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus in Kashmir, etc. etc. in its Election Manifesto of 2014.

However, after getting power in 2014, besides forgetting uniform civil code, Article 370, Kashmiri Hindus etc., B.J.P.-led government has implemented (and expanded) all anti-Hindu, discriminatory and minority-appeasing policies of Congress-led governments of 2004 to 2014. Further, it has granted only a diluted “One Rank One Pension” to ex-servicemen.

 And by compromising its stand on Article 370 for which the great nationalist Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherji sacrificed his life, B.J.P. formed a coalition government with the separatist People’s Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir in March, 2015. This coalition continued till June, 2018.

How B.J.P. can win in 2019

In 2014, though its supporters gave B.J.P. a massive mandate and a historic opportunity to liberate the country from slavery of pseudo-secularism, B.J.P.-led government has done nothing in this regard.

B.J.P.-led government has continued the fake secularists’ division of the nation into majority and minority; and it has not repealed or amended any existing law to stop discrimination against Hindus, and to treat Hindus at par with other communities.

To ensure that B.J.P. wins in 2019, and it does not meet the fate of its ‘India Shining’ campaign of 2004, it must act fast and win back its alienated supporters by implementing its essential pre-election promises in its remaining tenure in the following areas:

 1. Help all deserving persons irrespective of their religion

Congress-led government constituted Sachar Committee and the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2006; and started giving scholarships, financial incentives and special schemes only for minorities; and excluding Hindus from said benefits. While in opposition, B.J.P. condemned these policies as communal, divisive and “appeasement” of Minorities.

Surprisingly, after getting power in 2014, instead of helping all deserving persons regardless of their religion, B.J.P.-led government has continued and expanded these Minority-centric policies, and is allocating thousands of crores of rupees for the same.

Some of such schemes are as follows:

A. Scholarships, Fellowships etc.

Besides minority-centric schemes like Nai Manzil (training Madrassa students for government jobs), Shadi Shagun (Rs.51,000/- paid on marriage of minority women) etc., minority students are being given pre-matric and post-matric scholarships, and integrated five year fellowships as financial assistance for higher studies such as M.Phil. and Ph.D. courses.

B. “Padho Pardesh”

This scheme offers interest free bank loans of upto rupees twenty lakhs to a minority student for pursuing Post-Graduate Diploma, Masters, M. Phil or Ph.D. course in a foreign university; and interest on such loans is paid by government as subsidy.

C. “Naya Savera”

This scheme provides free special coaching etc. to minority candidates/students in selected institutions for admission for technical and professional courses and for recruitment to government and public sector jobs.

For Civil Services Examination, every candidate is given scholarship of rupees one lakh and also free boarding and lodging.

And for preparation of Medical/Engineering entrance examinations, financial support is up to rupees one lakh per student per academic year.

D. “Nai Udaan”

This scheme gives financial support to Minority students for preparation of Main Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and State Public Service Commissions.

E. Multi-sectoral Development Plan

B.J.P. Government has expanded Multi-sectoral Development Plan for Minorities to 308 districts, naming it as Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram.

Being discriminatory, and dividing the nation into majority and minority, such schemes violate the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the Preamble of Indian Constitution.

Since it requires just a Cabinet decision to abolish the Ministry of Minority Affairs and its policies, the government must dismantle Minority Affairs Ministry; and help all deserving people irrespective of their religion.

2. Why not “Uniform Civil Code”?

In any really “secular country”, all citizens irrespective of their religion enjoy the same rights, and are governed by the same laws. But though proclaimed as a secular country, India has no uniform civil code though it has uniform criminal code.

B.J.P.’s Election Manifesto had promised implementation of Uniform Civil Code.

Since Uniform civil code will make India a really secular country; since Supreme Court has suggested its enactment in a number of its judgements; and since Article 44 of Indian Constitution also wants the government to implement it, B.J.P. government must implement Uniform Civil Code.

3. R.T.E. Act, 2009

Congress-led government passed the discriminatory “Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009”. This Act puts government’s ruthless control over Hindu-run schools while Minority-run schools are exempt from this Act.

This Act requires Hindu-run schools to provide free education (with negligible compensation from government) to at least 25 per cent students from weaker sections, and to comply with many other stiff conditions.

Since minority-run schools are exempt from this Act, it has made the cost of Hindu-run schools prohibitive shutting down thousands of Hindu-run schools all over the country.

On February 24, 2016, National Independent Schools Alliance protested in New Delhi against this Act, and appealed for its repeal or suitable amendment.

Since education is crucial for survival of any civilisation; and since this Act is destroying Hindu-run schools, government must ensure that all schools, whether run by majority or by minority community, are either covered by this Act, or are free from this Act.

4. Articles 29 & 30

Articles 29 and 30 of Indian Constitution deal with cultural and educational rights of Minorities.

Though these Articles were meant to ensure equality between majority and minority communities, in actual practice Hindus are deprived of freedom to run their educational institutions while minorities enjoy full freedom in this regard.

The government must act to amend these Articles to extend the rights stipulated therein to every community, whether majority or minority. No one can oppose the said amendment since it would just extend the said rights to Hindus without depriving minorities of the same.

5. Article 370 and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus

Article 370 has all along encouraged separatism and terrorism, and is responsible for eviction of Hindus from Kashmir. Inserted only as a ‘temporary provision’ in the Constitution in 1950, this Article can be repealed easily by issuing the Presidential Notification under Clause (3) of Article 370 as per Cabinet Resolution which does not require any voting in Parliament or any Constitutional amendment, whatsoever.

Since B.J.P.’s Election Manifesto promised abrogation of Article 370, and return of Kashmiri Hindus “to the land of their ancestors with full dignity”, the government must abolish this Article; and rehabilitate Kashmiri Hindus in Kashmir.

6. Liberation of Hindu temples

All prominent Hindu temples all over India are under government’s control though no mosque or church is controlled by government.

Government’s control of Hindu temples and their estates is depriving Hindus of their right to religious freedom guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of Indian Constitution; and is also depriving Hindus of self-supporting infrastructure of their places of worship.

B.J.P. government must do the needful to liberate Hindu temples from government control so that like other communities, Hindus too can enjoy their fundamental right to religious freedom.

7. “One Rank, One Pension” Scheme

This scheme means that same amount of pension is paid to defence personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

Unhappy with previous governments for non-implementation of this scheme; and impressed by B.J.P.’s firm commitment to implement it, ex-Servicemen and their families played a very vital role in B.J.P.’s victory in 2014.

After waiting for a year for government to implement it, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement started its indefinite protest in New Delhi in June, 2015 demanding its implementation.

After this agitation, in November, 2015, Government issued its Notification implementing this scheme with the remark that in future, Defence Forces personnel’s pension “would be re-fixed every 5 years.”

Since ‘One Rank One Pension’ means revision of pension every year and not once in five years, veterans have rejected the diluted award; and feel unhappy with B.J.P.

Since ‘One Rank One Pension’ was B.J.P.’s undiluted commitment to veterans, it should be implemented in an undiluted manner.

8. Bangladeshi infiltration

Vide its judgement dated July 12, 2005, the Supreme Court termed Bangladeshi infiltration as“external aggression” and held that “Bangladeshi nationals who have trespassed into Assam or are living in other parts of the country have no legal right to remain in India; and they are liable to be deported”. However, like previous governments, B.J.P. government also has not taken any concerted action on the Supreme Court’s judgements dated July 12, 2005 and December 5, 2006 to deport crores of Bangladeshi infiltrators; and to curb continuing infiltration.

A historic opportunity

With its glorious victory in 2014, B.J.P. got a historic opportunity to liberate the country from slavery of pseudo-secularism. It must not waste this opportunity.

For survival of Bharat as a nation, and for its own glory as a political party, B.J.P.-led government must implement the above-described nationalist agenda in its remaining tenure, and liberate the nation from menace of fake-secularism.

In the vibrant India free from pseudo-secularism, there would be one law and one nation. In the liberated polity, there would be only humans; only citizens. There would be no majority and no minority, and no discrimination against any citizen. There would be justice for all; and injustice for none. 

India must be liberated from slavery of pseudo-secularism!