What stand the national political parties are taking on insurgency, infiltration and on minorities/ OBC?

Lok Sabha Election 2009 Special - Part V


THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

The Indian National Congress became the nation's dominant political party after independence in 1947. It returned to the 14th Lok Sabha as the single largest party after 8 years in the opposition. The party is currently the chief member of the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition. It is the only party to get more than 100 million votes in the past two general elections (1999, 2004). The manifesto of the Indian National Congress for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections provided the foundation for the National Common Minimum Programme that formed the basis of governance during the past five years.

Party 2009 Manifesto 

On Terrorism/Insurgency:

• The party stands for zero tolerance policy and for an intelligent foreign policy
  
• It has already initiated the process of equipping the police and other specialist security forces with the latest weapons and technology to meet terrorism threat
  
• Will raise specialist battalions and positioned them in key locations across the country
  

Infiltration:

To check infiltration, the party will provide every Indian with a unique identity card after the publication of the national population register in the year 2011

Minorities/OBC:

• It stands for providing reservations for OBC students in all professional institutions
  
• It initiated measures to enhance scholarships for schedule castes, schedule tribes, minorities and OBC’s to pursue college and university education
  

BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY


The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also a major political party of India. It is designed to represent the country's majority community and centre-right in nature. The BJP was in power in alliance with several other parties from 1998 to 2004, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister and Lal Krishna Advani as his deputy. It was the biggest constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which currently is in the opposition.

The party supports conservative social policies, self-reliance, robust economic growth, foreign policy driven by a nationalist agenda, and strong national defense. The party has a strong relation with the Sangh Parivar, in which the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh plays a leading role.
The BJP is contesting the 2009 15th Lok Sabha election. It stands for three goals: GOOD GOVERNANCE, DEVELOPMENT and SECURITY.

Party 2009 Manifesto 

Terrorism/Insurgency:

• Revive the anti-terror mechanism
  
• Improve upon POTA to ensure it is more effective as an instrument of deterrence and a tool to prosecute offenders without innocent people being harassed; and, strengthen the operational role of the National Investigating Agency
  
• Completely revamp the internal and external intelligence agencies and review the existing system of coordination, convergence and dissemination of intelligence inputs
  
• A Digital Security Agency will be set up to deal with cyber warfare, cyber counter terrorism, and cyber security of national digital assets
  
• Coercive measures, including diplomacy, will be used to deal with countries which promote cross-border terrorism
  
• Coastal security will be strengthened for better patrolling of Indian waters and preventing terrorists from taking the sea route to enter India. A National Maritime Authority will be set up to coordinate coastal security
  

Infiltration:

• Will launch a massive programme to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants
  
• Will review and improve border management. Punitive measures will be introduced to block illegal immigration
  
• The BJP will launch an innovative programme to establish a countrywide system of multipurpose national identity cards for tracking illegal immigration and thereby to ensure national security, correct welfare delivery, accurate tax collection, financial inclusion and voter registration
  

OBC: 

• The BJP is committed to the principle of Social Justice (Samajik Nyay) and Samajik Samarasata (Social Harmony).
  
• Will boost opportunities for entrepreneurship and commerce among Dalits, OBCs and other deprived sections of Indian society
  
• An ‘Extremely Backward Communities Development Bank’ will be set up for promoting skill enhancement through learn-and-earn schemes for their upliftment
  
• Will introduce education and job quotas on the basis of economic criteria for all economically weaker sections of society other than Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs, who will continue to enjoy quota benefits
  

Minorities:

• Will implement a set of policies committed to a massive expansion of modern education among Muslims, particularly for the girl child, through a new nationwide network of schools, in a public-private partnership programme
  
• Will provide capital assistance in new educational projects, both for basic and technical education, in low-income minority areas. Each project will be vetted for viability by a team of professionals within a maximum of six months
  
• The Ministry of Minority Affairs will be revitalized into a hub for economic projects specifically targeted towards employment creation. There will be special emphasis on crafts and small-scale industries that have been traditional employers of minorities
  

COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MARXIST)

The CPI (M) advocates an alternative political platform to form a non-Congress, non-BJP, alternative secular government. In 2004 election, the CPI (M) and the left parties extended support to the Congress – led UPA coalition to form a secular government at the center with the understanding that the UPA Government will implement it’s own Common Minimum Programme (CMP) but on July 9, 2008, it withdrew support from the UPA government after the Government decided to go ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal.
The CPI (M) stands for increased allocations in agriculture, education and health. It emphasizes the pursuit of an independent foreign policy.

Party 2009 Manifesto 

Terrorism/Insurgency:

• Revamping the intelligence machinery and enhanced coordination between security and intelligence agencies
  
• The Federal Investigating Agency functioning without violating the federal structure and ensuring association of State Governments for investigation within a particular State
  
• Modernisation of the Police forces
  
• Strengthening of the coastal security system
  
• Amending the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to remove draconian provisions like detention without bail for 180 days, three years imprisonment for withholding information
  

Infiltration:

• Emphasizes border fencing to be completed expeditiously
  

OBC/Minorities:

• Ensuring proper implementation of 27% OBC reservation in Central educational institutions; Extending OBC reservation to all private educational institutions
  
• Strengthening the National Commission for Backward Classes
  
• Simplifying procedures for issuing OBC certificates
  
• Forming an Equal Opportunity Commission with adequate powers to redress discrimination against minorities
  
• Formulating a sub-plan for the Muslim minorities to implement Sachar Committee recommendations
  
• Special initiatives in the sphere of employment, education and health to be undertaken targeting districts where the Muslim population is concentrated
  
• Earmarking 15% of priority sector lending by banks for the Muslims; subsidised credit to be ensured for the self-employed Muslim youth
  
• Special emphasis to be laid on the education of Muslim girls
  
• Promoting the teaching of Urdu in schools
  

Coming Up: 

Congress (I), BJP, CPI (M), NCP contestants from Tripura West; what is their status on assets, liabilities, criminal cases

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