Assam Polls: BJP Manifesto Promises UCC, Rs 25K To 40 Lakh Women, Protection Of Indigenous People And More

Guwahati: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday released the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto, 'Sankalp Patra', for the Assam assembly polls, promising protection of land, heritage and dignity of indigenous people and Rs five lakh crore infrastructure investment.

The BJP's manifesto, released in presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita, and other senior party leaders, comprises 31 promises, including the recovery of encroached land from "Bangladeshi Miyas", bringing in Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and creating employment opportunities for youths. The saffron party has also pledged to protect the land, heritage and dignity of the indigenous people of Assam by implementing the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, to expedite the process of detection and pushback of illegal immigrants.

The BJP also promised that it would strengthen the legislative protections to preserve the civilisation, heritage and rights of the people of Assam by implementing the UCC, excluding the Sixth Schedule and Tribal areas, to ensure the rights of ethnic communities.

Taking a dig at Congress, Sitharaman said this manifesto was prepared on a decade of transformation of the state, "which the Congress could not achieve in 60 years". She alleged, "The Congress had no focus on long-term development of North East as that is what its politics is all about," and claimed that massive development has taken place under BJP rule in the state.

"Many young Assamese are leaving their global careers and returning to Assam, not out of compulsion but due to opportunities," she said.

"Assam lived with AFSPA for 32 years due to Congress policies, but BJP ensured that the law was removed from most states," the Finance Minister added.

In its manifesto, BJP also pledged to "free every inch of land from encroachment by illegal immigrants and provide land rights to all genuine citizens of Assam" under the 'Mission Basundhara' scheme. It has also assured that the BJP would free the encroached land parcels of Satras, Namghars, Devalayas and other places of worship if it returns to power.

As per the Sankalp Patra, the party has further affirmed that it will formulate an effective law to end the menace of 'Love Jihad' and take firm measures to tackle the menace of 'Land Jihad'.

The party promised that Rs five lakh crore would be invested to position Assam as India's Eastern Gateway, backed by the Asom Gati Shakti Master Plan, to ensure the timely completion of projects.

Moreover, the saffron party also pledged to launch the 'Badh Mukt Assam Mission' with an investment of over Rs 18,000 crore to make the state flood-free. Also, it has assured to provide two lakh government jobs and create more entrepreneurial opportunities through various schemes.

What Assam BJP Manifesto Promises:

• Constitutional status for autonomous councils, eviction of illegal immigrants, land patta to tea garden workers.
• KG-to-PG free education under 'One district, one university, one medical college, one engineering college'.
• Rs 25,000 grant under Lakhpati Didi scheme to 40 lakh women.
• Rs 5 lakh crore investment for state's development.
• Rs 18,000 crore for flood control.

Elections to 126 assembly constituencies in the state will be held on April 9, with counting on May 4.

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