New Delhi: The Congress on Friday (April 5) released its manifesto titled “Nyay Patra” for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections including promises of justice under five pillars namely – hissedari (responsibility), naari (women), kisaan (farmers), yuva (youth) and shramik (workers) along with the ensuring a nationwide caste census, legal guarantee for MSP, and to defend the constitution by “saving democracy”. The party also promised to enact a legislation named after Rohith Vemula to address
discrimination faced by students belonging to the backward and oppressed communities in educational institutions.
While the five pillars of justice had been announced during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that concluded in March, additional promises that have found place in the manifesto include immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, abolition of the Agnipath scheme and law to recognise civil unions for the LGBTQIA+ community.
The manifesto was unveiled at the party headquarters in New Delhi by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former presidents Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, general secretary-organisation K.C. Venugopal and manifesto committee chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram.
Chidambaram said that while the overall theme of the manifesto was justice, it is based on “work, wealth and welfare.”
“Every aspect of justice has been denied in the last ten years, especially in the last 5 years. What we had predicted in 2019 has come to pass in 2024. We had said institutions would be captured that has happened, freedoms will be restricted, weaker sections of the people will be denied their rights and privileges, parliament will be diminished, and that has happened. We had said we will move towards an autocracy we have already been described as electoral autocracy,” he said.
“We have in this manifesto suggested bold measures to reverse the last five years. The overall theme is three powerful words-Work, wealth and welfare. Work means jobs. Jobs, jobs, jobs are a cry everywhere in India. Wealth must be created before it is distributed. And once wealth is created it will result in welfare,” he said.
The key promises in the 48-page document includes removing the 50% cap on reservations for SC,ST and OBC, farm loan waivers, increasing wages under MGNREGA to Rs 400, establishment of a diversity commission that will promote diversity in both public and private sector employment and education, along with protecting the rights of linguistic and religious minorities.
The Wire has earlier reported on the five guarantees announced by the party during the Yatra that have now found place in the manifesto.
Apart from legalising minimum support price (MSP), and a nationwide caste census, the party’s other guarantees include assurances of a right to apprenticeship, end to paper leaks, filling vacant posts for government jobs, commitment to “jal, jungle, zameen” under Adivasi sankalp in the Hissedari Nyay bracket, and guarantees for women including 50% reservation for them in government jobs, and Rs 1 lakh per year to every woman belonging to poor households, among others.
In addition, it has also promised to enforce 33% women’s reservation immediately and reserve 50% central government jobs for women, and review all laws including personal laws to ensure equality.
Defending the constitution
A key section of the manifesto has been devoted to “defending the Constitution.” Under this section, the party has promised to “Saving Democracy, Removing Fear, Restoring Freedom”.
“We promise not to interfere with personal choices of food and dress, to love and marry, and to travel and reside in any part of India. All laws and rules that interfere unreasonably with personal freedoms will be repealed,” the document said.
In an apparent reference to the suspension of freedoms under the Modi government, the party has promised to not interfere with the right to peaceful assemblies, decriminalise defamation, end arbitrary suspension of internet, review the Telecommunications Act, 2023 along with all laws that invade right to privacy. The party has also promised to ensure that parliament meets for at least 100 days and one day every week during the parliament session be devoted to discussing issues raised by the opposition
In an veiled reference to the actions of Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, who have been accused by opposition parties of being partisan, the Congress has also promised that “the presiding officers of the two Houses will be required to sever their connection with any political party, remain neutral, and observe the age-old norm that the ‘Speaker does not speak’.”
The promises also include amending the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to make defection (from the original party on which MP or MLA was elected) an automatic disqualification from assembly or parliament.
It has also promised to not bring the one nation one election, ensure voter is able to match their EVM votes with VVPATs and electronic vote tally will be matched against the VVPAT slip tally.
Along with promising to ensure the independence of agencies, it has also “promised to put an end to the weaponisation of laws, arbitrary searches, seizures and attachments, arbitrary and indiscriminate arrests, third-degree methods, prolonged custody, custodial deaths, and bulldozer justice.”
“We promise to enact a law on bail that will incorporate the principle that ‘bail is the rule, jail is the exception’ in all criminal laws.”
“Fundamentally different election”
Speaking after the manifesto was unveiled, Gandhi said that this “election is about those who are trying to destroy the constitution and democracy versus those who are trying to protect the constitution and democracy.”
“We do believe that it is very important that once this fight is won we look after the interests of the vast majority of the people, that the country is not run in the interests of the big conglomerates only, that there is fair competition among businesses. This election is a fundamentally different election. I don’t think in any election the constitution has been at much as risk as this election.”
Referring to the 1951 Congress manifesto under Jawaharlal Nehru, Kharge said that as in that document it was stated that no exaggerated claims will be made, similarly in the 2024 document a “realistic view” has been presented.
“That was Nehru’s manifesto based on ground realities. And we are doing the same now. We are promising only what we can deliver,” he said.