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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released the second part of its manifesto for the upcoming Delhi elections, focusing on education and financial aid for students. This follows the first part, which offered various benefits to women voters. The second part includes promises of free education, from pre-school to postgraduate studies, for needy students in Delhi government institutions. Additionally, a cash aid of Rs 15,000, along with travel reimbursements, is pledged for students appearing for entrance examinations. Scheduled Caste students pursuing technical and professional courses will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000. These promises, branded with the slogan 'Modi ki guarantee,' are presented as time-bound commitments, contingent on the BJP's electoral victory. The manifesto also includes plans for a skills training program for over 1.5 lakh young people, and a welfare board for domestic workers with life and accident insurance provisions. Auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers are also targeted with similar insurance benefits and scholarships for their children. This multifaceted approach appears designed to appeal to various segments of the Delhi electorate.
The BJP's strategy seems to be a two-pronged attack. First, it aims to win over women voters with promises made in the first part of the manifesto, thereby directly challenging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s (AAP) established base. The second part focuses on youth and students, another significant demographic. The BJP subtly attempts to undermine the AAP’s existing educational policies by highlighting the 'neediness' criterion in their free education promise. This creates a narrative of controlled and targeted distribution, suggesting potential bureaucratic hurdles, unlike the AAP’s claim of universal access. The strategic inclusion of domestic workers and auto-rickshaw/taxi drivers, traditionally considered AAP supporters, is designed to further weaken the AAP’s electoral hold and draw these groups to the BJP.
The AAP has responded with strong criticism, highlighting the BJP's alleged shift away from universal free education and healthcare, as presented in their manifesto. Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP leader, argues that the BJP’s conditional free education scheme would necessitate multiple trips to BJP offices to secure admission, creating bureaucratic hurdles and unnecessary inconvenience for parents. He interprets the BJP's promises as a strategy to erode the achievements of the AAP government, contrasting the BJP's targeted approach with the AAP’s existing universal welfare schemes. Kejriwal’s counter-narrative aims to portray the BJP’s promises as inherently restrictive and burdensome, potentially impacting the household budgets of Delhi residents. The contrast between the BJP's conditional approach and the AAP's universal approach serves as a central point of contention in the ongoing electoral campaign, emphasizing the importance of freebies and welfare policies as key components in election campaigns and strategies.
Beyond the core promises of free education and financial aid, the BJP's manifesto includes other welfare provisions. These encompass measures to improve the lives of marginalized groups, such as domestic workers, by providing them with financial security in the form of insurance schemes. Targeting auto-rickshaw drivers, considered a crucial support base for the AAP, demonstrates the BJP's ambition to make significant inroads into this demographic. The inclusion of these segments in the manifesto reflects a deliberate attempt to create a more inclusive image and expand its voter base beyond traditional support groups. By offering similar insurance schemes to both auto-rickshaw drivers and domestic workers, the BJP attempts to offer comparable benefits and draw support from both groups, undercutting AAP’s existing support.
The clash between the BJP and AAP over the concept of 'freebies' reflects a broader debate within Indian politics. The BJP attempts to present its policies as efficient and targeted, focusing on those most in need. Conversely, the AAP emphasizes universal access, arguing that free education and healthcare are fundamental rights and should not be subject to restrictive criteria. This fundamental ideological difference underscores the political battle being fought in Delhi, with both parties emphasizing welfare policies as central planks in their election campaigns. The success of each strategy will depend upon voters' evaluation of their promises and the credibility of the two parties in delivering these promises, should either come to power.
Source: Freebies For Students In BJP's Delhi Poll Manifesto Part 2, AAP Hits Back