The BJP has geared up for the upcoming Assembly election in Kerala, a state that has long been elusive for the party. After announcing ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan as its Chief Ministerial candidate, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) released its election manifesto for the state on Wednesday. Among the several promises made in the manifesto, two promises stand out.
A legislation to protect the traditions of Sabarimala temple
The manifesto released by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar makes a couple of big promises with respect to the Sabarimala temple and the menace of love jihad in the state. The party has promised to enact legislation to protect the age-old traditions of the Sabarimala temple that has been at the target of leftist propaganda. The party has said that all the temples in Kerala should be taken out of government control and handed over to devotees, priests and religious leaders.
The minister demanded the Left government in the state to make clarify its stand regarding the Sabarimala temple. Javadekar said that Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury support the entry of women in Sabarimala temples. However, Devaswom Minister and LDF candidate from Kazhakooam, Kadakampally Surendran opposes it.
“The government also needs to explain their role in the gold smuggling case”, Javadekar said.
A law to curb the menace of love jihad in the state
The party has also promised to enact legislation to deal with the issue of love jihad in Kerala on the lines of laws enacted in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
The manifesto has assured employment for at least one person from each family in the state and free laptops to high school students.
LDF government hijacked central government schemes and took credit: Javadekar
He accused CM Vijayan of ‘hijacking’ the schemes of central government and implementing them with modifications in the state to take the credit. “We have given 80 crore people free ration for eight months which includes 5 kg dal and 40 kg rice to each family. But the Kerala government wants to take credit. Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, it is not you but Modi who had done all this”, he alleged. “The Centre has given houses to more than 1.27 lakh people along with toilets. With little modification, the LDF government has modified it into the Life Mission project”, he added.
