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BJP`s `Vision Document` for 2004 Lok Sabha elections
By: Poonam BishtThe BJP agenda is writing the rules of the `new age BJP` and the party that was once synonymous with `Hindutva` is now striving hard to do away with its right wing space. Development is the raging issue and Ayodhya has been put on a back burner.
By: Poonam Bisht
The BJP agenda is writing the rules of the `new age BJP` and the party that was once synonymous with `Hindutva` is now striving hard to do away with its right wing space. Development is the raging issue and Ayodhya has been put on a back burner. The `India shining` campaign is a very obvious example of how the party is associating itself with modernity and the middle class. It is remarkable how without an attempts to push for a trickle down effect, the party has managed to convince the rural force to aspire big. BJP’s "Vision Document" depicts the stand taken by the party on most issues which is that of “middle path”, which is a paradigm shift from its earlier more belligerent position. The party`s colours, saffron and green, are dominant in the document that presents its Vision through 50 photographs of Vajpayee captioned "Vision personified." The document has a photograph or two of the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on every page and on the front and back covers. The document highlights 25 points — ranging from judicial reforms to devolution of powers to the States; from Ayodhya temple to a ban on religious conversions by fraud; from linking of rivers to stronger measures for population control; and from legislation to secure important offices of the State for "those who are India`s natural citizens" to intensifying a peace dialogue with Pakistan. The document skips the mention of Article 370 and pitches the demand for a ‘Uniform Civil Code’ as a gender justice issue than one against the appeasement of minorities. The main features are as follows: 1) The document which has replaced the usual party manifesto states the BJP’s intention making India a great power by 2020. 2) Calls for a ban on the people of foreign origin from assuming constitutional office. 3) Article 370: BJP has shunned its customary strident call for the repeal of Article 370 granting special status to Kashmir.No direct reference to Article 370, earlier a core issue for the party. Greater stress on Kashmir peace process and involving all sections in it. Clear sign of mellowing. 4) Swadeshi: Redefines the concept by embracing a pragmatic approach that calls for economic efficiency which will enable India to compete in the world. 5) Uniform Civil Code: The deviation from Uniform Civil Code is subtle yet significant. Pitched in terms of gender justice rather than appeasement. Even so, stress on consensus. 6) Ram Temple/ Ayodhya issue: Repeats construction pledge, but calls for negotiations and judicial settlement as only way for achieving objective. 7) Sops for hardliners: Promises to ban conversions, ban people of foreign origin from taking up high constitutional office. 8) On Muslims:Cuts out the barbs, instead gives a three-point pledge-education, economic upliftment and empowerment. 9) Apart from these issues, the document also focuses on the need to check population growth with emphasis on two-child norm 10) The main focus of the document has been on development, stability and good governance. 11) The need for a law to ban cow slaughter also finds a mention in the document. 12) To achieve the superpower status the party will launch a second green revolution 13) It will give world class infrastructure to the cities and bring vibrancy to the small scale sector while creating the conditions that will make India a global manufacturing hub. No specific time-frame has been given; in fact on many points the document talks of a 10-year to a 20-year time-frame, beyond the tenure of not one but several governments. 14) Reservations in the private sector: Fiscal "incentives" (such as tax concessions) for creating more job opportunities for members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. 15) To the minorities, the BJP offers education, empowerment and economic improvement. BJP sings a different tune: The document marks a significant change in the party`s earlier stand on the need to "abrogate Article 370". Without mentioning the Article directly, it stated in a chapter on Jammu and Kashmir: "While recognising that the Constitution provides for transient and temporary provisions (Article 370) ... we believe that the immediate challenge ... is eliminating terrorism." In short, for the very first time, the BJP has acknowledged the current need to continue with Article 370, at least as a temporary measure. However, on two other "core Hindutva issues" — a Uniform Civil Code and abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which confers a special status on Jammu and Kashmir — there has been a decided change in the tone and tenor and the manner of articulation. On a Uniform Code, the document stressed that "all laws, including personal laws, must be in accordance with the guarantees available to all citizens under the Indian Constitution," while adding that a "social and political consensus has to be evolved before the enactment." The issue has been presented as a case for gender equality and Constitutional propriety, not as a plank for Muslim bashing.
The BJP agenda is writing the rules of the `new age BJP` and the party that was once synonymous with `Hindutva` is now striving hard to do away with its right wing space. Development is the raging issue and Ayodhya has been put on a back burner. The `India shining` campaign is a very obvious example of how the party is associating itself with modernity and the middle class. It is remarkable how without an attempts to push for a trickle down effect, the party has managed to convince the rural force to aspire big. BJP’s "Vision Document" depicts the stand taken by the party on most issues which is that of “middle path”, which is a paradigm shift from its earlier more belligerent position. The party`s colours, saffron and green, are dominant in the document that presents its Vision through 50 photographs of Vajpayee captioned "Vision personified." The document has a photograph or two of the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on every page and on the front and back covers. The document highlights 25 points — ranging from judicial reforms to devolution of powers to the States; from Ayodhya temple to a ban on religious conversions by fraud; from linking of rivers to stronger measures for population control; and from legislation to secure important offices of the State for "those who are India`s natural citizens" to intensifying a peace dialogue with Pakistan. The document skips the mention of Article 370 and pitches the demand for a ‘Uniform Civil Code’ as a gender justice issue than one against the appeasement of minorities. The main features are as follows: 1) The document which has replaced the usual party manifesto states the BJP’s intention making India a great power by 2020. 2) Calls for a ban on the people of foreign origin from assuming constitutional office. 3) Article 370: BJP has shunned its customary strident call for the repeal of Article 370 granting special status to Kashmir.No direct reference to Article 370, earlier a core issue for the party. Greater stress on Kashmir peace process and involving all sections in it. Clear sign of mellowing. 4) Swadeshi: Redefines the concept by embracing a pragmatic approach that calls for economic efficiency which will enable India to compete in the world. 5) Uniform Civil Code: The deviation from Uniform Civil Code is subtle yet significant. Pitched in terms of gender justice rather than appeasement. Even so, stress on consensus. 6) Ram Temple/ Ayodhya issue: Repeats construction pledge, but calls for negotiations and judicial settlement as only way for achieving objective. 7) Sops for hardliners: Promises to ban conversions, ban people of foreign origin from taking up high constitutional office. 8) On Muslims:Cuts out the barbs, instead gives a three-point pledge-education, economic upliftment and empowerment. 9) Apart from these issues, the document also focuses on the need to check population growth with emphasis on two-child norm 10) The main focus of the document has been on development, stability and good governance. 11) The need for a law to ban cow slaughter also finds a mention in the document. 12) To achieve the superpower status the party will launch a second green revolution 13) It will give world class infrastructure to the cities and bring vibrancy to the small scale sector while creating the conditions that will make India a global manufacturing hub. No specific time-frame has been given; in fact on many points the document talks of a 10-year to a 20-year time-frame, beyond the tenure of not one but several governments. 14) Reservations in the private sector: Fiscal "incentives" (such as tax concessions) for creating more job opportunities for members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. 15) To the minorities, the BJP offers education, empowerment and economic improvement. BJP sings a different tune: The document marks a significant change in the party`s earlier stand on the need to "abrogate Article 370". Without mentioning the Article directly, it stated in a chapter on Jammu and Kashmir: "While recognising that the Constitution provides for transient and temporary provisions (Article 370) ... we believe that the immediate challenge ... is eliminating terrorism." In short, for the very first time, the BJP has acknowledged the current need to continue with Article 370, at least as a temporary measure. However, on two other "core Hindutva issues" — a Uniform Civil Code and abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which confers a special status on Jammu and Kashmir — there has been a decided change in the tone and tenor and the manner of articulation. On a Uniform Code, the document stressed that "all laws, including personal laws, must be in accordance with the guarantees available to all citizens under the Indian Constitution," while adding that a "social and political consensus has to be evolved before the enactment." The issue has been presented as a case for gender equality and Constitutional propriety, not as a plank for Muslim bashing.