Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has cautioned the people of Karnataka against the BJP’s election manifesto, which promises to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state. Speaking at a press conference, Chidambaram referred to these issues as a “pernicious agenda” of the ruling party, which is trying to divide and polarise the state.
The BJP’s manifesto for Karnataka, released on Monday, states that they will implement the UCC in the state based on recommendations from a high-level committee, and also introduce the NRC to ensure speedy deportation of illegal immigrants. Chidambaram warned that these policies would create social conflict and that the BJP is looking for a gateway into Karnataka and other southern states using these issues.
Chidambaram stated that he was not concerned about other promises made in the BJP’s manifesto, as they are irrelevant, but he urged the people of Karnataka to fiercely resist and stop the entry of the BJP’s “sinister, pernicious agenda” into the state. He also added that Congress would fiercely resist these policies from entering Tamil Nadu and urged the people of Karnataka to follow suit.
The implementation of UCC has been a longstanding demand of the BJP, which claims that it will bring about gender justice and promote national unity. However, many opposition parties and civil society groups have raised concerns about its potential impact on personal laws and the diversity of Indian society.
Similarly, the NRC has been a contentious issue, particularly in the northeastern state of Assam, where it was implemented in 2019. The exercise resulted in the exclusion of nearly 2 million people, mostly Muslims, from the citizenship rolls, leading to concerns about human rights violations and discrimination.
The BJP’s manifesto for Karnataka has also promised to provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all, waive farmers’ loans, and create one million jobs over the next five years, among other things. However, the UCC and NRC promises have drawn the most attention, with opposition parties accusing the BJP of trying to polarise voters along religious and communal lines. The state assembly elections are scheduled for May 12, with results to be announced on May 15.
