The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released its manifesto for the next month's Assam assembly polls and promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the next three months if elected to power again.
The BJP's 'Sankalp Patra', released by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, comprises 31 promises, including bringing an effective law to end 'Love Jihad' and 'Land Jihad'.
The party promised that it would strengthen the legislative protections to preserve the civilisation, heritage and rights of the people of Assam by implementing the UCC, excluding the Sixth Schedule and Tribal areas, to ensure the rights of ethnic communities.
It also pledged to protect the land, heritage and dignity of the indigenous people of Assam by implementing the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, to expedite the process of detection and pushback of illegal immigrants.
The party also pledged to "free every inch of land from encroachment by illegal immigrants and provide land rights to all genuine citizens of Assam" under the 'Mission Basundhara' scheme.
It also assured that the BJP, if it returned to power for the third consecutive time, would free the encroached land parcels of Satras, Namghars, Devalayas and other places of worship.
The manifesto promised that Rs 5 lakh crore would be invested to position Assam as India's Eastern Gateway, backed by the Asom Gati Shakti Master Plan, to ensure the timely completion of projects.
The party also pledged to launch the 'Badh Mukt Assam Mission' with an investment of over Rs 18,000 crore to make the state flood-free.
The BJP will also provide 2 lakh government jobs and create more entrepreneurial opportunities through various schemes.
It also pledged to "One District, One Medical College, One University, One Engineering College".
The party also said it will increase the monthly direct bank transfer under the Orunodoi scheme to Rs 3,000 for women.
It also said it aims for 40 lakh 'lakhpati baideos', a flagship initiative of the Assam government aimed at economically empowering women, particularly those associated with self-help groups (SHGs).
The party said the wages of the tea garden workers will be raised to 500 per day within the next five years. The tea garden workers will also get a house.
Sitharaman said the manifesto was prepared on "a decade of transformation of the state, which the Congress could not achieve in 60 years".
Elections to 126 assembly constituencies in the state will be held on April 9, with counting on May 4.
