Akhilesh promises minorities security

Lucknow: Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday released the Samajwadi Party manifesto, promising minorities’ security and greater autonomy for their institutions, while colleagues lauded him as a "son of Bharat Mata" in a pitch apparently aimed at countering the BJP. "Security would be guaranteed to the minorities. Their participation in every government scheme would be ensured in proportion to their population. At least one lakh new business opportunities would be created for them," the chief minister said as he unveiled the manifesto, aware he cannot sail through the February-March polls without the community on his side. Akhilesh's father Mulayam Singh Yadav was not present and arrived at the Samajwadi state headquarters here half an hour after the manifesto-release ceremony was over. Nor were Akhilesh's uncles Shivpal and Ram Gopal. The chief minister's animosity with Shivpal is no secret. Mulayam had been supporting Shivpal, his younger brother, during the recent Samajwadi family feud that culminated in the patriarch's removal as party national president. But the absence of Mulayam's cousin and Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal remained a mystery as he was perceived as Akhilesh's close adviser and confidant during the tussle. One leader brought in the Bharat Mata parallel when he lavished praise on Akhilesh, who came out of the shadow of his father when his faction was recently recognised as the real Samajwadi Party and allotted the cycle symbol. "Akhilesh has two mothers. One is (Malti Devi) who passed away and is blessing him from heaven, and the other is Bharat Mata," prisons minister Balwant Singh Ramuwalia said. Ramuwalia also likened Akhilesh to the new US president. "There are two great leaders in the world, one is Akhilesh and the other is Donald Trump". State party chief Naresh Uttam floated a slogan: "Jiska UP uska desh, jai jai Akhilesh, jai jai Akhilesh.....(whoever controls UP, controls India, long live Akhilesh)." Some sniffed an attempt to chip away at a key Hindutva plank. "Bharat Mata is mostly mentioned by the RSS and the BJP. Jai, jai is also used by the BJP in its slogans. And Trump had said during his campaign that Muslims wouldn't be let into the US if became President. I think Akhilesh is trying to follow soft Hindutva to beat the BJP," said an observer. The Samajwadi core voters include the Yadavs - around 6 per cent - and 18 per cent Muslims, who have been backing the party since the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition. Previous trends suggest that whichever party wins around 30 per cent votes forms a government on its own. The Samajwadi had bagged 29.13 per cent votes in 2012 and won 224 seats in the 403-member House. Its closest rival, the BSP, had won 25.91 per cent votes and 80 seats. "Special job-oriented training would be imparted and career counselling would be done for the youth of the minority community. Poor members would be given two-room houses," said Akhilesh. He also vowed to strengthen "institutes founded by the community members", alluding possibly to madarsas and waqf boards. The manifesto packs in the usual sops like free smartphones for youths and pressure cookers for women. The state started registrations for the smartphones six months ago. "So far, 1.40 crore youths have registered. I think nobody can stop us from winning in this election if those registered vote us," Akhilesh said. If the claim is correct, it will mean that 10 per cent of the state's 14 crore voters have signed up for the scheme. Akhilesh waved other sops too. "Schoolgirls from Class IX to XII would be given free cycles and all women 50 per cent concession in state buses." His record on fulfilling promises is patchy, though. Although Akhilesh had fulfilled many of the pledges made in 2012, including laptops for Class XII-pass students, his government did not keep its commitment to release Muslim youth who were arrested during Mayawati's reign between 2007 and 2012 for alleged involvement in terror, but against whom the charges couldn't be proved even after several years. A promise to provide youth computer tablets was also not honoured.