Statute Repeal To Unnerve Many

A BJP government would revamp Indias Constitution, the partys manifesto says. This is sure to raise the hackles of those who fear its primary agenda is the disenfranchisement of the minorities, but party leaders suggest that their focus is on a Presidential form of government.

Party leaders AB Vajpayee and LK Advani have publicly backed a Presidential system. While releasing the manifesto, Advani said: If there was a Presidential system, Vajpayeeji would have won hands down. The party promises to appoint a Commission to comprehensively review the constitution and to make suitable recommendations.

The party has repeated its promise to create separate states of Uttaranchal, Vananchal, Vidarbha (to which the Shiv Sena is opposed) and Chattisgarh and to give full statehood to Delhi. It also promises to update and adopt the Goswami Committee report on electoral reforms, provide state funding for elections and to delimit constituencies afresh.

 

The party promises to set up a Judicial Commission to draw up a code of ethics for judges, the first time it has mooted this. The manifesto expands the partys promise that every elected representative, and spouse, dependant children and parents, would publicly declare their income and assets annually. Last years manifesto did not specify public strutiny, nor did it include MPs relatives.

To further woo the armed forces, which the party has targetted for some years for support, the manifesto promises to examine the question of retirement age at different levels in the armed forces.

The party promises to increase state spending on education to six per cent and more of GNP within five years. The promise was first made by former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao, but this years Congress manifesto omits it.

The BJP would improve the provisions of the Prasar Bharati Act to make it accountable to Parliament. Though it promises it will be free from government control, immune from political influence and sensitive to the diverse needs of Indian society, it points to a revival of the supervisory committee of Mps, which the United Front governments ordinance, which established Prasar Bharati, had scrapped.

While permitting, by licence, the entry of private enterprise and investment in radio and television broadcasting purely on commercially acceptable terms determined by bids, the party will ensure that the uplinking of television programmes will be from India.

Foreign equity investment in audio-visual media will be restricted to 20 per cent and management of all types will be in Indian hands.