Congress manifesto vows to undo BJP govt. policies
The document rejects the idea of one nation, one election, promises to investigate electoral bonds and PM CARES ‘scams’, as well as efforts to curb hate crimes and repair India’s international image
From promising to probe the electoral bonds scheme and PM Cares Fund to rejecting the concept of ‘one nation, one election’, several sections of the Congress manifesto released on Friday promises to undo key policy initiatives and promises of the Narendra Modi government if the party comes to power.
Under the section “Defending the Constitution”, the party talked about “reversing the damage” done by the Modi government. “We promise that all antipeople laws passed by the BJP/NDA without proper parliamentary scrutiny and debate, especially those relating to workers, farmers, criminal justice, environment and forests and digital data protection, will be thoroughly reviewed and changed,” it said. “We will carry out complete investigations of the electoral bonds scam, the reckless sale of public assets, the PM CARES scam, and corruption in major defence deals”.
The Rafale fighter jet deal, Pegasus spyware, and demonetisation were listed as deals and policies that would be probed if the party got elected to power.
The party also promised to curb hate crimes and communal conflicts, stop extrajudicial measures such as mob lynching, encounter killings and bulldozer justice, and review all laws that interfere with the right to privacy. The manifesto promised the party would not interfere with personal choices in food, dress, or the right to marry.
It also promised to “repair India’s international image that has been damaged by the present government’s intolerance”.
Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi government over the faceoff with China, the Congress promised to restore status quo ante and asserted that national security can’t be enhanced by “chestthumping or exaggerated claims but by quiet attention to our borders and resolute defence preparedness”.
Taking youth and the working population as key target groups, the manifesto promised onetime loan waiver on all educational loans up to March 15, revisit Centrally conducted exams such NEET and CUET, abolish application fees for public examinations and government posts, increase the wage under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to ₹400 per day and an urban employment guarantee programme.
“If Congress comes to power, we will lift 23 crore people out of poverty. We have done it before and we can do it again,” former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who headed the manifesto committee, said at the launch.
The manifesto rejected the ‘one nationone election’ idea and also promised to amend election laws to ensure that voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips are tallied with Electronic Voting Machine counts.
Promising to hold 100 days of Parliament in a year, it said the Presiding Officers of both the Houses will remain neutral and observe the ageold norm, “The Speaker doesn’t speak.”
The party also promised full Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to include the tribal areas of Ladakh, offer special status to Andhra Pradesh, full Statehood to Puducherry and amend the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi Act, 1991 to make the LieutenantGovernor act on the aid and advice of Council of Ministers of NCT, Delhi.