Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav on Friday unveiled his party election manifesto, terming it a document to bring about big social change (mahaparivartan).
Among the promises made by his party are creation of one lakh jobs every year, constructing ‘Samajwadi’ hostels in all prominent educational institutions and making a playground in every village. He said his party would work towards bridging the economic divide in the country and reduce poverty.
He also announced that his party will launch a Samajwadi Pension Scheme to pay Rs 3000 per month to women from families of the underprivileged classes. The SP manifesto also mentions measures for women empowerment, green energy, welfare of backward castes, Dalits and minorities and improving primary education.
He used this occasion to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ignoring the poor and the weaker sections of the society and helping only the rich and the industrialists. He also said his party supported full loan waiver for farmers. He once again raised the demand for making public the caste census details, for better implementation of policies across the country.
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Another promise made by him was to create an ”Ahir Armoured Regiment” and a ”Gujarat Infantry Regiment” by way of strengthening national security. He also criticised the Swachchh Bharat campaign as being against the interests of Dalits and lower castes. “A cleaner India for the rich and upper castes people cannot be built by those of the lower castes, it is against the principles of social justice,” he added.
He also mocked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the latter’s remarks terming the Muslim League a “virus” and criticising the Muslim League’s association with the Congress party. Akhilesh said Yogi “does not know anything.” Apparently Yogi seems to be unaware of the association of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) with the Congress and the Left parties.
IUML became coalition partner with the Congress first during the 1960 election and in October 1979, IUML leader CH Mohammed Koya became the Chief Minister of Kerala for a short time with the help of the Congress. The IUML has also had electoral pacts with the CPI and CPI (M).
Akhilesh Yadav said Adityanath was making controversial statements to divert public attention from development-related issues. He alleged there had been zero development on ground and zero investment in the state. He also described the BJP and the Congress as being “one and the same” and cautioned his party workers to not get confused by them.
