Uniform Civil Code In Karnataka Among BJP's Election Promises

Implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, 10 lakh jobs in the manufacturing sector and a State Capital Region tag for Bengaluru are among the top promises made by the BJP in its manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly election.

The document, named BJP Praja Pranalike, was released in Bengaluru today by the party's national president JP Nadda. Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai and veteran party leader BS Yediyurappa were also present on the occasion, among others.

Addressing the media, Mr Nadda said the manifesto was not prepared after discussions in an air-conditioned room and that party workers had visited every corner of the state and gathered inputs for preparing this document. 

Mr Nadda said the BJP's vision for the state is "justice to all, appeasement to none". He also said that the party's government in the state has abolished the "unconstitutional" reservation for Muslims. Just before the polls were announced, the Basavaraj Bommai-led cabinet decided to do away with the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims and divide it equally between Lingayats and Vokkaligas -- two politically influential caste groups in Karnataka. 

The move has sparked protests from the Opposition, with the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) promising to restore the reservation if they come to power.    

The party, which faces a tough electoral battle in the state this time, has said that its promises touch every section of the society.

It has said that the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in the state "based on the recommendations given by a high-level committee which is to be constituted for the purpose".

The party has also promised introduction of the National Register of Citizens and "speedy deportation of all illegal migrants".

Other promises include monthly ration kits for households below poverty line, a fixed deposit scheme for women from scheduled castes and tribes, and a plan to develop Karnataka into a hub of electric vehicles. The party has also promised 3 free cooking gas cylinders to BPL families in a year -- one each during the months of Yugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepavali.

The Congress, which is pushing hard for victory this time, is yet to release its manifesto. During the course of the campaign, the Opposition party has promised 200 units of free power to all homes, 10 kg of rice to BPL households, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head in every family and a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 to unemployed graduates.

The Janata Dal (Secular), the other party in what is expected to be a three-cornered poll fight, has promised a legislation to provide reservation to Kannadigas in the private sector. It has also said that it will push the central government to hold civil services and defence recruitment exams in Kannada too.

The BJP's manifesto also promises to improve the "ease of living" for apartment residents in Bengaluru through a consultative committee. It has said that it will launch an initiative to drive collaboration between small and medium-sized industries and industrial training institutes. At the school level, the BJP has promised a plan under which the state government will team up eminent individuals and institutions for an upgradation of state-run schools.

The manifesto also promises to boost the public healthcare infrastructure by establishing a clinic with diagnostic facilities in every municipal ward, and free annual health check-up for senior citizens.

For farmers, the party has promised a Rs 30,000 crore fund to set up micro cold storage facilities, agro processing units in every gram panchayat and modernisation of agricultural produce committees.

In the tourism sector, the manifesto promised a Rs 1,500 crore plan to develop several circuits and corridors to transform Karnataka into the country's top tourism hub.

It has also promised identification of 10 lakh housing sites for the homeless.