Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress party’s manifesto which was released on Friday, claiming it bears imprint of Muslim League at an election rally in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He said that the grand-old party is out of touch with India’s current aspirations.
He asserted that the Congress’ manifesto reflects the ideology of the Muslim League, during freedom movement era.
He said that the Congress party has disconnected from the hopes and aspirations of modern India. The manifesto echoes the sentiments of the Muslim League from the freedom movement era, the PM said.
“The Congress manifesto seems to be heavily influenced by the Muslim League, with the remaining portion dominated by leftist ideologies… The Congress’ presence is hardly visible in this poll commitments made by the Congress.”
The Congress party released its manifesto “Nyay Patra” on Friday
Important promises made by the Congress in the manifesto:
- The Congress said it will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste Census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions. It will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST, and OBC.
- The grand old party has stated that it will fill nearly 30 lakh vacancies in the sanctioned posts at various levels in the central government.
- The party promised a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day.
- The Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh will be adopted for universal healthcare.
- It also promised to provide legal guarantees to MSP announced by the government every year, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.
- “The Congress will ensure that, like every citizen, minorities have the freedom of choice of dress, food, language, and personal laws. We will encourage reform of personal laws. Such reform must be undertaken with the participation and consent of the communities concerned,” it said.
- The party has said that it will abolish application fees for government posts and government examinations.
- The party has also promised to write off student educational loans, citing widespread unemployment. It is a one-time measure of relief, with the amount due, including unpaid interest as of March 15, 2024. The banks will be compensated by the government.
- The manifesto promised enhancing pensions for senior citizens, widows, and persons with disabilities under the National Social Assistance Programme to Rs 1,000 per month from Rs 200 to Rs 500.
- A law will be introduced to recognize civil unions between couples belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.
- In major poll promises to woo women voters, the party promised to reserve one-half (50 per cent) of central government jobs for women starting in 2025.
- Just like during the state assembly elections, the party also determined to launch the Mahalakshmi scheme to provide ₹1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family as an unconditional cash transfer. The poor will be identified among the families at the bottom of the income pyramid.
- The Congress party plans to revise election laws by integrating the advantages of electronic voting machines (EVMs) with the transparency of traditional ballot papers. Under this proposal, voters would use EVMs to cast their votes, but they would also receive a machine-generated voting slip. This slip would be deposited into a Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) unit, ensuring a physical record of the vote. The electronic tally of votes would then be cross-checked against the tally of VVPAT slips, enhancing transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
- The Congress party has announced its intention to amend the Press Council of India Act of 1978, granting enhanced authority to the Council to address the proliferation of fake news and paid news.
- Congress plans to create a new law for sports federations, ensuring Olympic Charter compliance and addressing grievances. They also propose ₹10,000 monthly sports scholarships for athletes under 21.
- Congress also promised not to interfere with personal choices like food, dress, love and marriage, and travel and stay in any part of the country. It also assured that all such laws that unreasonably interfere with personal freedoms will be scrapped.
- In a major announcement that could alter or shape Indian politics, the party promised to amend the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution and make defection (leaving the original party on which the MLA or MP was elected) an automatic disqualification of the membership in the Assembly or Parliament.”
- The party also promised to double the nation’s GDP in the next 10 years. It also said it would replace the GST laws with the universally accepted principle that GST shall be a single, moderate rate (with a few exceptions) that will not burden the poor, “GST 2.0”.
- The Congress said it will overhaul strained relations with the Maldives and will work to restore the status quo ante on our borders with China and to ensure that areas where both armies patrolled in the past are again accessible to our soldiers. “We will take the necessary steps to adjust our policy towards China until this is achieved,” the party said.
