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 April 05 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 anti-people 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, repeated intelligence failures at the highest levels, and corruption in major defence deals,” added the manifesto.
The Rafale fighter jet deal, Pegasus spyware, and demonestiation were listed as deals and policies that would be probed if the party got elected to power.
The party also promised to put down hate speeches, hate crimes and communal conflicts, immediately stop extra-judicial and illegal measures such as mob lynching, encounter killings and bulldozer justice, and promised to review all laws that interfere with the right to privacy. The manifesto promised the party would not interfere with personal choices like food, dress, or the right to marry.
The manifesto also promised to “repair India’s international image that has been damaged by the present government’s intolerance of dissent and suppression of human rights”.
Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi government over the face-off with China, the Congress promised to restore status quo ante and asserted that national security can’t be enhanced by “chest-thumping 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 one-time loan waiver on all educational loans up to March 15, revisit Centrally conducted exams such as 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 have 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 nation-one election’ idea and promised to hold elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies as and when they are due. The manifesto also promised to amend election laws to ensure that voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips are tallied with Electronic Voting Machines.
Promising to hold 100 days of Parliament in a year, the manifesto said the Presiding Officers of both the Houses will have sever their connection with any political party, remain neutral and observe the age-old norm, “The Speaker doesn’t speak.” The party also proposed amending the anti-defection law under 10th Schedule to ensure automatic disqualification of defectors.
The party also promised full Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, amend 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 Lieutenant-Governor act on the aid and advice of Council of Ministers of NCT, Delhi.
