Party to pass a resolution at national executive meeting, lauding the move that reversed Supreme Court’s ‘dilution’ of law.
New Delhi: The BJP is set to celebrate the amendments in the SC/ST law, brought in by the Modi government, which reversed the Supreme Court’s ‘dilution’ of the legislation.
This comes amid protests by upper castes — the party’s core vote bank — against the law in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.
The government’s stance on the SC/ST Act, sources said, will be part of a political resolution — hailing its achievements in securing the rights of Dalits and other backward classes — to be passed during the BJP’s national executive meeting scheduled on 8 September and 9 September in New Delhi.
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The political resolution, a source said, is also likely to hail the Centre’s decision to grant statutory powers to the OBC commission, and will discuss the party’s efforts to reach out to the Dalit community.
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The BJP has been assiduously working to get rid of its anti-Dalit tag. The party had put in a lot of thought to select the venue for its national executive meeting, which will now be held at the newly-built Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The party considers the building as its tribute to the Dalit community.
Economy, caste politics and alliances on national executive menu
The political resolution will be one among two that will be passed at the national executive meeting — the other, sources said, will be on the economy.
The economic resolution will include the government achieving GDP growth rate of 8.2 per cent, its implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) and demonetisation.
Senior leaders are expected to play up the achievements of the Modi government, which will include schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjawal Yojana and Mudra Yojana among others.
“There would a detailed presentation on government schemes and a map on how to reach out to every beneficiary ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” added the source.
The latest national executive, a key meeting of the BJP’s top leaders from across the country, is crucial as it comes ahead of elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, states where the party is in power.
“These states will get special attention in both economic and political resolutions. All three are crucial states for the BJP’s victory of 2019,” said a leader associated with national executive preparations.
The party is also expected to debate on prospective alliances in various states as it envisages losing a number of seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The NRC exercise conducted in Assam is also expected to be discussed.
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“There would definitely be a scheduled discussion on coalitions and prospective alliances in the respective state of the representatives. It is crucial for the BJP to identify smaller regional parties that could add to its number, no matter how small it will be,” said the senior leader.