BJP Chief Amit Shah releases manifesto for 2017 UP Assembly polls, says will build 'Ram Mandir' as per constitutional means

New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday released the party’s manifesto for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections promising to make efforts to ensure construction of Ram temple under constitutional provisions if voted to power. The manifesto, called ‘Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra’ (Pledge for People’s Welfare), also promises to press for taking forward its view on the triple talaq in the Supreme Court. “The party is firm on the Ram temple issue…efforts will be made to ensure that Ram temple is constructed under the constitutional provisions,” Shah said. On the contentious issue of triple talaq, Shah said the party, on coming to power, will take views of women and present its opinion before the Supreme Court. On exodus of people due to communal tension, he said a special team would be formed to check it at district level. DMs will be held responsible for mass exodus, he said. Shah also said all mechanised slaughter houses will be closed in the state. Taking a cue from ruling Samajwadi Party, Shah promised to upgrade the Dial 100 of the state police to ensure police help in 15 minutes all over the state. Stressing that if voted to power, his party will take one step ahead of the Samajwadi Party’s laptop distribution scheme by providing 1 GB free data for one year besides free wi-fi in universities. To ensure the safety of college girls, innovative anti- Romeo squads will be set up near colleges to check eve- teasing. Besides, three women battalions will be raised for security of women, the document said.

While releasing manifesto, the BJP president said the party will form government in Uttar Pradesh with a two-thirds majority.

He attacked Samajwadi Party and Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party which have ruled Uttar Pradesh for the last 15 years, accusing them of doing nothing to develop the backward state.

BJP, he said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would turn UP into a developed state, the way it has developed the other states it rules. “All BIMARU – Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh – states have become developed except UP,” he soid. BJP is going hammer and tongs to return to power in UP after 15 years. In 2012, it had won only 47 of the state’s 403 seats, but in the 2014 national election, it swept 71 of the state’s 80 Lok Sabha seats and hopes to repeat that performance in this year’s assembly election. Elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases from February 11 to March 8.

  Here are the key promises which Shah announced: 

• Will distribute laptops to youth with 1 GB free internet if voted to power in UP: BJP chief
• Special Task Force to be set up to put an end to illegal mining in UttarPradesh, says Amit Shah.
• All universities will get free WiFi facility: Amit Shah
• 25 new medical colleges will be formed: Amit Shah
• Will set up 6 new AIIMS hospitals in the state: Amit Shah
• Food processing park to be set up in UttarPradesh; 24 hours power to be supplied, cheaper rates for poor: Amit Shah
• BJP to form teams at district levels to check #exodus of people due to communal tension: Amit Shah
• Free ducation up to Class XII; fees to be waived up to graduation level for meritorious students: AmitShah
• Agricultural loans to be waived: Amit Shah
• Slaughter houses to be closed down in Uttar Pradesh: Amit Shah