The ‘Welfarism’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, like other parts of the country, has taken the center stage in Tripura in political campaigns unleashed by the saffron party leaders.
BJP leaders including Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Party candidates Biplab Kumar Deb and Kriti Singh, State BJP leaders’ outreach programmes hinge on the bedrock of ‘Welfarism’ – a term that indicates PM Modi’s vision of welfare.
In recent numerous political rallies at Mandwi, Dhanpur, Garji and other areas, Dr Saha and others dwelt on PM Modi’s concept of Welfare. Modi’s call – ‘Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Viswas and Sab ka Prayas’ – not just indicates inclusiveness of welfare schemes but also stresses community participation. PM’s another initiative – Viksit Bharat – further strengthen the Sab ka Saath call and ensured proper implementation and awareness generation on various welfare schemes among the common people.
According to leaflet titled, 'Message to contrymen from Prime Minister Narendra Modi', these inclusive and participatory welfare initiatives are well targeted encompassing four categories of people. Here, also BJP leaders are shy about mentioning that Modi’s ‘Welfarism’ changed the concept of caste or Barga system by acknowledging that poor, youths, farmers and women are the four bargas and country’s progress hinges on the development of these bargas.
Accordingly, saffron party leaders are listing barga specific initiatives of welfare. ‘Lakhpati Didi’ and ‘Drone didi’ are one of the women barga specific initiatives that BJP leaders are proudly referring to during the campaign.
Even as Opposition criticizes the BJP on the issue of religion, PM’s ‘Welfarism’ successfully delinked religion for accessing the welfare measures. Beneficiaries of the minority and indigenous communities are the testimonies of PM Modi’s ‘Welfarism’, asserted BJP leaders during a campaign in Garji recently.
While applauding PM Modi’s Welfarism, Dr Saha pointed out a crucial policy of the BJP-led NDA government – the Act East Policy which focused both on development as well as ensuring peace by ending the insurgency problems in the North East Region including Tripura. The tri-partite Bru re-settlement and agreement with TIPRA Motha Party are some of the recent agreements that paved way for ‘Sab ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas’ vision for development in the State, Dr Saha asserted.
Prior to the LS Poll schedule announcement, PM Modi transformed the development into ‘organic development’ by virtually interacting several times with the ‘Lavarthis’. Accordingly, the Chief Minister and other BJP leaders held multiple Lavarthi conference in the State.
Party leaders opined, the enthusiasm and support created by the saffron party, especially among people living in the semi-urban and remote rural areas are believed to be beneficial for the saffron party.