The Congress on Tuesday unveiled its manifesto for the coming Lok Sabha elections seeking to bring the narrative to "real issues", compared to the BJP's "hyper-nationalism" with party chief Rahul Gandhi stressing on five big economic and social ideas including Nyay that will provide Rs 72,000 a year to 20 per cent poorest families.Releasing the manifesto - 'Congress will deliver' - along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the party office here, Gandhi made repeated attacks at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of "lies" and failing to deliver on promises.Gandhi accused Modi of being afraid and "hiding" from reality about the problems of youth and farmers and challenged him to debate with him on issues such as corruption, foreign policy and national security. He said narrative of the elections has already been set and it is Nyay and unemployment and distress of farmers were the main issues. "Narendra Modi has got shock effect. Chowkidar can hide but he cannot run away. The truth is before people. We will defeat him in the elections," Gandhi said.In a dig at Modi, he said the manifesto speaks the "man ki baat" of the people."The moment we speak about Nyay, we get response from people. There are five big ideas in the manifesto. There will be 'Garibi par waar' (attack on poverty), Rs 72,000 will be provided to 20 percent poorest families in a year. The money will go directly in the pockets of poor and the economy impacted with demonetisaton and flawed implementation of GST will jump start," he said.He identified employment, farmers, health and education as the other big ideas. "We will fill 22 lakh government vacancies by March 2020 besides employment to 10 lakh youth in gram panchayats, entreprenuership will be boosted by waiving off permissions (for three years) for a new business and the rural income guarantee scheme MGNREGA is being extended to a minimum of 150 days in a year compared to 100 at present," he said.
Gandhhi said farmers will be given a loan waiver and there will be a separate budget for farmers so that they know how much is being given to them.Accusing Modi of being pro-rich, he said farmers who fail to return bank loans will no more face criminal action but only civil cases.Gandhi said 6 per cent GDP will be spent on education and high quality education will be made more accessible.Not ruling out being the prime ministerial candidate of the party or the opposition alliance, the Congress President, asked if the media was interacting with "a future Prime Minister", said: "It is on the country, not on me. I do my work. You have to ask this question to the people."Attacking the Modi government's ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme as one to benefit insurance companies more, he said that the Congress does not have as much faith on private-institution based health care."We will strengthen public health institutions," he said and added that the endeavour of a Congress government will be to provide best medical facilities to the poorest. Tp BJP's criticism that the Nyay scheme was "not workable", he said: "I agree it is not doable for the BJP. But it is doable for the Congress."Asked why he was also contesting from Wayanad in Kerala apart from Amethi, Gandhi said: "South India feels hostility from Narendra Modi... They feel they have not been included in decision making" and his candidature would send out a message that "we are with you, I am with you."Rejecting suggestions that the party has not been able to stitch pan-India alliances, he said that the Congress had tie-ups in Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir.Earlier, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who headed the manifesto committee, said that the manifesto was aimed at creating wealth and guaranteeing delivering welfare. "A Congress government under Rahul Gandhi will do it," he said.
The Congress manifesto: Key takeaways
Here are key promises in Congress manifesto:
1. Nyay: (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) to be introduced to ensure a life of dignity to all Indians. Rs 72,000 per year will be transferred to the poorest 20 per cent households in India, preferably to the woman in the household.
2. Jobs: Will be number one priority in public and private sector. Ensure 34 lakh jobs in the public sector by filling all 4 lakh central government vacancies before March 2020. Persuade state governments to fill their 20 lakh vacancies.Create an estimated 10 lakh new Seva Mitra positions in every gram panchayat and urban local body.Fillip to private sector jobs by rewarding businesses for job creation and employing more women. Businesses with over 100 employees to implement apprenticeship programme.
3. Farmers and farm labour: Put farmers on path from 'Karz Maafi' to 'Karz Mukti' through remunerative prices, lower input costs, and assured access to institutional credit. Separate "Kisan Budget" every year. Permanent National Commission on agricultural development and planning.
4. Universal Healthcare: Enact Right to Healthcare Act and guarantee every citizen free diagnostics, out-patient care, free medicines and hospitalisation, through a network of public hospitals and enlisted private hospitals. Double expenditure on healthcare to 3 per cent of GDP by 2023-24.
5. GST 2.0: Radically simplify the GST regime with a single moderate rate of tax, zero rating of exports and exemption for essential goods and services. Provide panchayats and municipalities a share of GST revenues.
6. Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces: Reverse the trend of declining defence spending under the NDA government and increase it to meet the requirements of armed forces. Expedite all modernisation programmes of the armed forces in a transparent manner.
7. Quality Education For Every Child: School education from Class I to Class XII in public schools shall be compulsory and free. Focus on learning outcomes. Schools will have adequate infrastructure and qualified teachers. Allocation for education to go to 6 per cent of GDP by 2023-24.
8. Gender Justice: Pass Women's reservation bill reserving 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies in the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha. Reserve 33 percent of all posts/vacancies in central government for women.
9. Tribals: Implement Forest Rights Act 2006 in letter and spirit and secure for Scheduled Tribes rights guaranteed under the Act. No forest dweller to be unjustly evicted. Establish a National Commission for Non-Timber Forest Produce. Minimum Support Prices for NTFP (non-timber forest produce).
10. Right to Homestead: Pass the Right to Homestead Act to provide a piece of land for every rural house-hold that does not own a home or own land on which a house may be built.
11. End to Hate Crimes: End the sense of impunity, stamp out mob violence and lynching and prevent atrocities and hate crimes against the SC, ST, women and minorities. Police and district administration to be held accountable for proven negligence in the case of riots, mob violence and hate crimes.
12. Celebrating Freedom: Protect freedoms including the freedom to dissent. Bring law on privacy, restrict use of Aadhaar to the original purposes, protect the rights of every citizen especially students, journalists, academics, artists, civil society activists and NGOs. Review all laws and repeal those that are outdated, unjust or unreasonably restrict the freedom of the people.
13. Protecting Institutions: To revitalise the institutions that "were brazenly undermined in the last five years" such as RBI, ECI, CIC, CBI, etc. Restore "their dignity, authority and autonomy" while making them accountable to Parliament. Abolish opaque electoral bonds introduced by the NDA government. Set up a national election fund that will be allocated at the time of elections to rec-ognised political parties.
14. Cities and Urban Governance: Comprehensive policy on urbanisation to address issues concerning towns and cities, including city governance, livelihoods, housing, habitat, pollution, climate change, urban transport and disaster management. For the urban poor, Right to Housing and protection from arbitrary eviction, and a Slum Upgradation and Transformation Scheme. Introduce a new model of governance for towns and cities through directly elected mayors. Transform cities into engines of economic growth.
15. Environment and Climate Change: Action agenda that will place India at forefront of the battle against global warming and environmental protection. Significantly strengthen National Clean Air Programme. Set up an independent Environment Protection Authority.
Congress aims to revamp judicial system
The Congress on Tuesday released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The manifesto has a chunk on partys vision to overhaul the existing judicial system in the country. The party is willing to review laws, rules and regulation, considered draconian; easing access to justice for common people, and finally, the party is confident that it will leave no stone unturned in order to protect and maintain the independence of the judiciary.
Judicial reforms
The Congress has promised to introduce a Bill "to amend the Constitution to make the Supreme Court a Constitutional Court that will hear and decide cases involving the interpretation of the Constitution and other cases of legal significance or national importance." Currently, the Supreme Court adjudicates on cases that involve criminal and civil disputes of individuals. The apex court also resolves disputes that have ramifications on the interpretation of constitutional provision. Although, the promise of a Constitutional Court sounds impressive, but how it is put into effect, is to be watched. The manifesto claims that he National Judicial Commission will be formed comprising judges, jurists and parliamentarians and it will be serviced by a secretariat. "Names of suitable candidates will be placed in the public domain and the reasons for selection will be published to ensure that the entire process is transparent," claimed the manifesto. The party claimed that once the NJC is in place, all vacancies in the Supreme Court and the High Courts will be filled within two months.The Congress claims to "introduce a Bill to amend the Constitution to establish a Court of Appeal between the High Courts and the Supreme Court, to hear appeals from judgments and orders of High Courts." The Bill will certainly ease the access for justice to litigants who wish to appeal against judgments delivered by High Courts in their respective state. Currently, a litigant has no choice, but to follow up the case in Supreme Court. The process imposes a huge cost on the litigant.According to the manifesto the "Court of Appeal will sit in multiple Benches of 3 judges in 6 locations." For example, a petitioner based in east, south, north-east etc., who wishes to appeal against a High Court verdict would not have to come to the Supreme Court. The litigant can approach the Court of Appeal in the jurisdiction of the concerned High Court.
Other judicial reforms
The manifesto talks about increased representation of women, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and other under-represented sections of society at all levels of the judiciary. The party promises to form Judicial Complaints Commission to investigate complaints of misconduct against judges and recommend suitable action to Parliament.
Omission of laws
The Congress aims to omit Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes defamation. The party also aims to strike down Section 124A that defines the offence of sedition, as it has been misused and has become redundant because of subsequent laws.
Other changes in laws:
Prevention of Torture Act to prohibit the use of third-degree methods during custody or interrogation and punish cases of torture, brutality or other police excesses;Amend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in order to strike a balance between the powers of security forces and the human rights of citizens and to remove immunity for enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture.
Legislative Reform
The Congress promises to preserve the essence of independent institutions while making them accountable to Parliament. The party has called for an amendment to the Anti-Defection Law by providing that MPs who disobey the party's whip are instantly disqualified. The period of disqualification will be two years. The party promises to introduce the requirement of public consultation before a Bill is introduced in Parliament.
Anti-graft laws & transparency
The Congress pledges to investigate the circumstances leading to escape of scamsters from the country, and the party will take concrete steps to bring them back to face trial. The manifesto states that provisions that dilute the Right to Information Act will be omitted, and the Act will be further strengthened.
Censorship issues in press and media
The Congress aims to amend the Press Council of India Act, 1978 to strengthen the system of self-regulation, protect the freedom of journalists, uphold editorial independence, and guard against government interference. The reforms include:
* Amend the Press Council of India Act to empower the Council to deal with the menace of fake news and paid news.
* Pass a law to preserve the freedom of the Internet.
* Amendment in the Cinematograph Act, 1927 to restrict censorship of films to grounds of national security and obscenity.
Women's Rights
The Congress promises to pass the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. And, repeal any provision of law that prohibits night shifts for women. The party is determined to pass a comprehensive review of the sexual harassment of women at workplaces Act, 2013 and extension of the Act to all workplaces.
Protection of Minorities
Reservations in promotion in private higher educational institutions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes to be introduced via amendments to the Constitution. Further ensuring the protection of minorities, the manifesto said: "We will pass a new law in the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha and in the Rajya Sabha to prevent and punish hate crimes such as mob-engineered stripping, burning and lynching. The law will contain provisions to compensate the victims and to hold accountable the police and district administration for proven negligence."
Other changes in laws
Congress promises to pass a law to protect the personal data of all persons and uphold the right to privacy.
* Regulatory forbearance for micro and small enterprises. They will be exempt from all applicable laws and regulations (except the Minimum Wages Act and tax laws) for a period of 3 years from April 1, 2019 .
* Removing distortions in the implementation of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
* Enact and enforce a comprehensive Law on Doing Business in India that will incorporate the best business practices and rules.
* Withdraw the Transgender Bill, 2018, pending in Parliament. Instead, Congress will introduce a Bill that will be consistent with the judgment in the NALSA case. The new Bill will be drafted in consultation with the LGBTQIA+ community.
* Measures to ensure easy access to legal services and recourse to senior citizens especially in cases of neglect, abuse, abandonment, eviction and financial fraud.
* Pass a Model Police Act that the states will be advised to adopt and enact in the state legislature.