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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh release BJP manifesto (Sankalp Patra) for Lok Sabha elections 2019 in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI)[/caption]
New Delhi, April 8 (PTI): The BJP on Monday pledged to legislate a bill to prohibit and eliminate practices like triple talaq and nikah halala and promised in its manifesto to give 33% reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies through a constitutional amendment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released the manifesto, titled 'Sankalpit Bharat, Sashakt Bharat' (Determined India, Empowered India), in the presence of BJP chief Amit Shah and other top leaders, including Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.
In the manifesto, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asserted it has determinedly taken substantive measures to ensure overall development of women and promote gender equality.
"Continuing our work, we will legislate a bill to prohibit and eliminate practices such as triple talaq and nikah halala," the party said in the manifesto.
The Narendra Modi government had introduced a bill to make practice of instant triple talaq by Muslim men a criminal offence. It, however, was not passed in Parliament due to stiff resistance by the Opposition.
In the manifesto, the saffron party said that welfare and development of women will be accorded a high priority at all levels within the government.
"The BJP is committed to 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies through a constitutional amendment," it said.
The party said it was committed to the empowerment and "development with dignity" of all minorities.
The BJP is often accused by its critics of neglecting interests of minorities.
The party said it was committed to bring transgender persons to the mainstream through adequate socio-economic and policy initiatives.
"We will ensure self-employment and skill development avenues for transgender youth," it said.
For elderly, the BJP promised to strengthen the 'Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana' that would ensure that poor senior citizens in need of aid and assistive devices receive them in a timely manner.
"To take forward the gains achieved under Sugamya Bharat, we will put in place a system of continuous accessibility audits and ratings for cities and public infrastructure, including airports, railway stations and public transport systems, to ensure that they are fully accessible, with collaboration with industry and civil society organisations," the party said.
It also promised to prioritise Divyang beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
BJP has no moral right to release fresh manifesto, should have issued action-taken report — Mayawati
Stressing that the party which had failed to fulfil the promises made in 2014 had no moral right to release a fresh manifesto, BSP president Mayawati on Monday said the BJP ought to have issued an action-taken report instead.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on Monday.
Reacting to it, Mayawati said, "The BJP and the Narendra Modi government, which blatantly betrayed the people and failed to fulfil the election promises, have no moral right to release a new manifesto."
"People cannot believe them and they should tender an apology to the people as they have only worked for the capitalists," the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president said.
The BJP and the Modi government "should have issued an action-taken report, instead of the new manifesto, but they do not have the courage to do so," she added.
"Barring a handful of capitalists, the 130 crore people (of India) are still waiting for the promised 'achche din' and Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said and asked how such an "anti-poor, irresponsible and jumlebaaz" government be truly patriotic.
