Patna | The opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday released its manifesto for the Bihar assembly polls, promising, among other things, a government job to one member of every household, restoration of old pension scheme and 200 units of free power.
The 32-page-long 'Bihar ka Tejashwi Pran' (Tejashwi's resolve) released at a crowded press conference in the state capital, was, however, dismissed as "a bundle of lies" by the ruling NDA.
Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader after whom the manifesto has been named, said at the press conference that the document contained "25 salient points assuring practical solutions" to the problems faced by the people of the state.
"A new law guaranteeing employment would be introduced within 20 days of the INDIA bloc forming the government in Bihar and it will be implemented across the state within 20 months," said the INDIA bloc chief ministerial candidate.
The manifesto also promises implementation of a law, on the lines of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, aimed at protecting extremely backward classes from atrocities. The law was first envisaged at an 'Ati Pichhda Sankalp' launched here last month by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Reaching out to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the manifesto says that if the INDIA bloc came to power, "every year, 300 students" from the depressed classes will be sent abroad for higher education on scholarship.
Another important promise made in the manifesto is that the INDIA bloc "will not allow in Bihar the implementation of Waqf (Amendment) Act", implemented by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, though steps will be taken to ensure "greater transparency in management of Waqf properties".
The manifesto has also promised "handing over to the Buddhist community temples dedicated to Lord Buddha, situated at Bodh Gaya", a demand that has been raised by followers of the faith far and wide, besides Dalit activists in the country, and also NDA partners like Union minister Ramdas Athawale.
The manifesto also promises "doing away with 50 per cent cap on reservations, through a resolution passed by the state legislature and the same would be sent to the Centre so that the legislation is placed in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution and protected against judicial intervention".
Hike in quotas for EBCs, Dalits and tribals, in panchayats and municipal bodies, has also been promised.
The manifesto also promised IT parks, SEZs, dairy and agro-based industries, an education city and five new expressways in the state.
Yet another promise that was highlighted by Yadav, who spoke in the presence of prominent alliance partners like Congress leader Pawan Khera and CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, was making toddy exempt from the prohibition law, brought nine-and-a-half-years ago by the Nitish Kumar government.
However, shortly after the release of the manifesto, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference that "the INDIA bloc has come up with a bundle of lies".
The Patna Sahib MP also sought to fish in troubled waters of the RJD-Congress combine, saying "the document has been called Tejashwi Pran. It makes no mention of Rahul Gandhi".
Reeling out statistics to assert that Bihar has made tremendous progress in the last 20 years, a large part of which has seen the BJP as a partner in the ruling alliance.
"Tejashwi Yadav keeps saying the NDA lacks a vision. Our vision is reflected in the work we have done. Moreover, the RJD leaders boast of his achievements during two short-lived tenures as deputy CM. He should know that the credit goes to (Bihar CM and JD(U) chief) Nitish Kumar," Prasad said.
"Yadav has been accused of fraud in the land-for-jobs case. Only recently did a Delhi court ordered framing of charges against him and his father, Lalu Prasad. How much his promises will resonate with the people of Bihar is anybody's guess. But we understand their predicament. They know they are not going to come to power. So they are making wild promises," he said.
JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad struck a similar note, saying that the manifesto is a "bundle of lies and full of airy fairy promises".
"To call it Tejashwi's resolve is also ridiculous since the young RJD leader has no achievement that he could call his own. He owes his standing to the fact that he is the son and heir apparent of Lalu Prasad," he added.
