A touch of Modi in BJP poll manifesto

The BJP election manifesto for Tamil Nadu unveiled on Thursday by Union minister Nitin Gadkari has a Narendra Modi flavour as it proposes to introduce yoga and meditation from Class 6. Called a vision document, it has farmer-friendly measures, including waiver of all loans availed by farmers and power connections to farmers within three months. It also talks of establishing a corporation for we l f a re of arunthathiars and support to devendra kula vellalars in keeping with promises made to the scheduled castes by BJP president Amit Shah during his interactions with them in southern TN. It promises to restore control of shrines to private trusts and free darshan in all Hindu shrines.

Reflecting the Modi government's focus on national security issues, it proposes a law on the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act “to eliminate terrorism and criminal activities in public life“, besides smart ration cards on the lines of Chhattisgarh. It assures protection of sand and minerals through government takeover of sand distribution and stoppage of mineral sand and granite theft.

Against the backdrop of the December 2015 floods, the manifesto promises to remove all encroachments from water bodies. Like many other parties, it also plays the prohibition card assuring that the original policy banning liquor introduced by Rajaji government in 1937 would be implemented with immediate effect. It reiterates the party's commitment to ensure that the traditional bull sport jallikattu and festival games like rekla are conducted from next year.

It promises eight grams of gold for mangalsutra for women below poverty line during marriages, 24 hour women welfare centres, hostels for working women in major industrial centres, setting up a sports university and creation of a Lok Ayukta.