Muslim women want employment opportunities, the Parsi community is concerned about its declining population and the Jain community wants incorporation of environmental conservation in government policies in the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
As a part of its “Delhi ke Mann ki Baat” outreach initiative, the suggestions came up in meetings between focus groups consisting of representatives from minority communities and a delegation of senior BJP leaders seeking their say in creating what the party termed was “the vision of a secular India by the BJP government”, according to the party.
“Arti Mehra, convener of the larger Bharat ke Mann ki Baat programme in Delhi, emphasised the vision of a secular India by the BJP government at these events...Through this campaign, we wanted people to know and understand that every voter is as important to the elections as every culture is to the country,” said a party leader adding that the initiative was “beyond vote-bank politics”.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot asked an audience of around 200 representatives from the Muslim, Parsi, Jain and Christian communities to share their suggestions on how the Modi government “can empower them more”.
According to the party, suggestions made mainly focused on appreciation for the Modi government’s “befitting response to Pakistan” after the Pulwama attack and, in relation to the Capital, “dissatisfaction over the performance of the Aam Aadmi Party” and its “unfulfilled promises”.
“Environment conservation should be made an integral part of all the government policies, was a suggestion from the Jain community; special provisions should be made to facilitate more employment opportunities for Muslim women, was another suggestion and the Parsi community raised concerns over its declining population and the need to safeguard their interests,” the party leader further said.
Carried out between February 3 and March 3, over 350 field events were organised in the Capital by the BJP as part of the outreach programme which, according to insiders, elicited over 6 lakh suggestions through letters, missed calls, social media and the party’s website.
Screening committee
A committee chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, according to party insiders, is screening these suggestions for the party’s national manifesto or ‘Sankalp Patra’ which is scheduled to be released in the coming days.
Inmates lodged at Tihar jail were also contacted for their suggestions as part of the programme. These, according to the party, had revolved around the demand for speedier trials, being segregated from hardened criminals, a relook at the policy of affecting immediate arrests on the basis of complaints.
