On Monday, May 1, the Bharatiya Janata Party released its manifesto ahead of the Karnataka State Assembly elections and promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code, apart from bringing in the National Register of Citizens.
“If voted to power, the BJP will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) based on the recommendations of a high-level committee to be constituted for the purpose,” the manifesto released by BJP national president J P Nadda read.
Additionally, it pledged to create a National Register of Citizens (NRC) to ensure speedy deportation of all illegal immigrants in the state. The party also pledged to form a committee that would grant devotees complete autonomy of temple administration and to look into regulating local businesses around temples to create a sustainable temple economy.
Released the BJP's manifesto for Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 in Bengaluru.
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) May 1, 2023
Our manifesto is a vision document for a developed Karnataka. It encompasses a forward looking approach and promises to fulfil the aspirations of everyone in Karnataka .#BJPPrajaPranalike2023 pic.twitter.com/VvnH4iXm29
Six categories make up the BJP manifesto: Anna (food security), Abhaya (social welfare), Akshara (education), Aarogya (health), Abhivrudhhi (development), and Aadaaya (income).
One of the promises is to give BPL households daily half-liter of Nandini milk under the Poshan Yojana. This comes amid concerns about a proposal to combine Gujarat’s Amul with the state-run Karnataka Milk Federation’s Nandini dairy brand, as well as worries that Amul’s entry into the state will harm Nandini’s interests.
The Poshan Yojana also calls for monthly ration packs that include 5 kg of free millet in addition to 5 kg of rice. Additionally, the BJP promises BPL families three free LPG cylinders each year, to be given out during the festivals of Ugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Deepavali. This is comparable to a promise made by the BJP before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections last year when it stated that under the Ujjwala Scheme, BPL families will receive two free cylinders.
The BJP’s manifesto this time also talks of “Atal Aahara Kendras” in every municipal ward for “affordable, quality, and hygienic food,” similar to its “Annapoorna canteen” promise in the 2018 manifesto.
Other major assurances include the construction of 10 lakh houses for the homeless under the “Sarvarigu Suru Yojane,” the “Onake Obavva Samajika Nyayah Nidhi,” which will offer a matching deposit of up to Rs 10,000 on five-year fixed deposits made under the scheme by SC/ST women. The “Karnataka Residents’ Welfare Consultative Committee,” which will reform the “Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972,” and to modernise the grievance redressal mechanism, and free annual master health check-ups for senior citizens have also been promised.
The BJP has also promised a “State Capital Region” for Bengaluru, along with a “My City My Card” that can be used on all public transit in the metro, as well as a comprehensive city development strategy, cohesive transport networks, and cutting-edge digital integration.
Other guarantees for the city include “Yuva-Karunadu-Digital 4.0,” which would see Karnataka get its first Global Innovation Hub modeled after a Tel Aviv model, an optical fiber network similar to those in Germany and Japan, “Smart Water” to optimise water use, and CCTVs equipped with AI facial recognition software.
