Sravasti Dasgupta 
New Delhi: A domicile policy based on the 1932 Khatiyan; the Sarna Dharma Code; increased financial assistance under the Maiyya Samman Yojana; reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs; health insurance cover; government jobs – these are among the seven guarantees released by the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand ahead of the assembly elections.
At a joint press conference on Tuesday (November 5) in Ranchi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief and the state’s incumbent chief minister Hemant Soren along with Rashtriya Janata Dal national secretary Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation’s Shubhendu Sen unveiled the alliance’s seven guarantees for the elections.
Titled “Ek vote, saat guarantee” (‘One vote, seven guarantees’), the alliance has promised to implement a domicile policy on the basis of the 1932 Khatiyan Bill, the implementation of the Sarna Dharma Code and the protection of local languages and cultures.
In December 2023, ‘The Jharkhand Definition of Local Persons and for Extending the Consequential Social, Cultural and Other Benefits to such Local Persons Bill, 2022’, which sought the use of the 1932 khatiyan (land survey) to decide a domicile and employment policy, was passed in the Jharkhand assembly despite contestation.
The Bill sought to protect Adivasis and other marginal groups in Jharkhand from other non-Adivasi early migrants on issues of employment. It was to come into effect after being included in the ninth schedule of the constitution.
It was first passed in November 2022 and returned twice by the governor’s office.
In its manifesto released two days ago, the BJP has also placed tribals – who comprise about 27% of the state population – at the centre of its campaign, even promising to exclude them from the ambit of the uniform civil code in the state.
On its plank of social justice, the alliance has promised 28% reservations for STs, 12% for SCs and 27% for OBCs in the state, along with the formation of a ministry for the welfare of backward castes.
While the BJP in its manifesto released on Sunday promised financial assistance of Rs 2,100 to women, the INDIA bloc is seeking to build on the existing scheme of the JMM government, the Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana, under which the government gives Rs 1,000 to all underprivileged women in the 18-50 age group.
In its guarantees for the 2024 assembly elections, the alliance has promised to increase this assistance to Rs 2,500.
While the BJP in its manifesto has promised to provide LPG cylinders at Rs 500, the INDIA bloc has said in its guarantees that it will give them at an even cheaper price of Rs 450.
The alliance has also promised to provide free rations of 7 kg under a food security guarantee. The Union government led by the BJP provides 5 kg of free ration to impoverished households.
In addition, the INDIA bloc has also promised to provide jobs to ten lakh youth in the state as well as health insurance coverage of up to Rs 15 lakh, on the lines of the Congress’s election promises in other states like Telangana and Karnataka and during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, after the health insurance cover was first introduced under the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan.
Building on the Congress’s promises on minimum support prices (MSPs) first unveiled during the 2018 Chhattisgarh elections, the INDIA bloc has promised to increase the MSP at which paddy is procured from Rs 2,400 to 3,200. It also promised to increase MSPs by 50% for other produce like imli, mahua and sal among others.
Under educational guarantees, the INDIA bloc has promised to open degree colleges in every district.
Releasing the guarantees, Soren said that though his government had another month till the term of the assembly ended, elections were being conducted early.
“Our government’s tenure was still supposed to last for one more month, but what strange circumstances have arisen that the elections are being held a month earlier. This is perhaps for the first time since the formation of the state that this is happening,” he said.
“According to the directions of the Election Commission (EC), elections are being held in two phases, which earlier used to be held in five phases. What is the EC’s logic behind this can be asked of them. But we have now drawn an outline for the government to be formed in the state.
“The state government will work in even greater detail, as Jharkhand is one of the most backward states in the country. We have made every possible effort to reach out to those where voices, people and achievements do not reach. The people of the state are enthused now about the elections.”
While the BJP has accused the Congress of not fulfilling its guarantees in other states where it is in power, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, Kharge said that “there is no trust left” in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantees.
“These guarantees are for the public and their welfare. These are doable guarantees and have been made on the basis of our budget. Whenever we speak of any guarantees, Modi passes comments on it. Yesterday he came here [to Jharkhand] and in his speech mentioned me and said there is no faith in the Congress’s guarantees,” he said.
“But we fulfil our guarantees and the public knows that Modi’s guarantees – whether it is doubling farmers’ income, demonetisation or providing jobs – are not fulfilled. He said in parliament that ‘in 100 days if I don’t fulfil my promises, you can punish me’. But now you tell us how he has lied.”