Congress leader Pawan Khera said that the Opposition's alliance was the first to announce its Chief Ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav, and the first to release its manifesto
New Delhi, Patna: The Opposition Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday released its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly polls, promising a government job to one member of every family, restoration of the old pension scheme, 200 units of free power to each household, lift ban on toddy and a monthly allowance of `2,500 under Mai Bahin Yojna for women. The NDA alliance termed the manifesto a “bundle of lies".
The 32-page ‘Bihar ka Tejashwi Pran’ (Tejashwi’s resolve) was released at a crowded press conference in Patna, where the I.N.D.I.A. bloc chief ministerial candidate and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadavwas joined by alliance partners. Yadav said the document contained "25 salient points assuring practical solutions" to the problems faced by the people in Bihar.
"A new law guaranteeing employment will be introduced within 20 days of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc forming the government in Bihar and it will be implemented within 20 months," he said.
"People of Bihar want a crime-free and scam-free regime... They will teach a lesson to the NDA in the polls," Yadav said, adding that people want a government that will provide "padhai" (better education), "dawai" (better health facilities), "kamai" (employment) and "sichai" (better irrigation facilities).
“The NDA has no vision for Bihar... They have not released the manifesto for the polls so far... The BJP leaders and corrupt officials have made chief minister Nitish Kumar a puppet and are using him for their interest... Union home minister Amit Shah has made it clear that Kumar will not be the CM face," Yadav alleged.
Another important promise in the manifesto is that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc "will not allow in Bihar the implementation of the 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 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 in Patna last month by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Reaching out to the SC and ST communities, the manifesto said: "Every year, 300 students" from the communities will be sent abroad for higher education on scholarship. And the Buddhist temples at Bodh Gaya will be handed over to their monks.
The manifesto said that the toddy will be exempted from the prohibition law brought nine-and-a-half years ago by the Nitish Kumar government; this will eventually benefit the Passi community. It also vows to review the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act if voted to power.
The manifesto also promised IT parks, SEZs, dairy and agro-based industries, an education city and five new expressways in the state.
During the release of the manifesto, the prominent alliance partners, like Congress leader Pawan Khera and CPI(ML)-Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, were present.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference that "the INDI alliance has come up with a bundle of lies". "Mr 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 the Bihar CM and JD(U) chief," Prasad said.
JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad echoed a similar note, saying that the manifesto is a "bundle of lies and full of fairytale promises".
Earlier in the day, while addressing back-to-back public rallies in the Saran, Taraiya and Parsa Assembly constituencies, Yadav alleged that the law and order situation has completely collapsed in Bihar, and the NDA government in the state was “least bothered” about the situation.
Asserting that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc needed to be voted to power in the impending Assembly elections for redressal of people's grievances, Yadav also urged the people to vote for the Mahagathbandhan to ensure improved law and order, jobs and redressal of grievances.
