The manifesto, projecting Rahul Gandhi on the forefront with Sonia and Manmohan Singh in the background, was released in English, Hindi, and Urdu.
From '27 Saal UP Behaal' (27 years – UP distressed), the Congress has changed its tune and is now singing 'Bemisaal Hoga UP' (UP will be incomparable) – the tagline for the party's manifesto.
In a lacklustre event, the party launched its 12-page manifesto, merely 72 hours before the state goes to polls. Voting for the first phase is scheduled for February 11. Congress is the last one to release its manifesto among all the major parties.
The manifesto, projecting Rahul Gandhi on the forefront with Sonia and Manmohan Singh in the background, was released in English, Hindi, and Urdu.
The party promised a new law on hate crimes and announced sops for women, OBCs and minorities. Noting that BJP's "agenda of hatred and divisiveness becomes clearer with every election", the manifesto pledged to enact a new law on hate crimes to provide enhanced punishment to those who create tension on basis of caste, gender and religion.
The party vowed to appoint a police ombudsman to handle cases of police oppression and set up a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to ensure compensation to victims of criminal oppression
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and the in-charge of party affairs in UP, Ghulam Nabi Azad, accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Raj Babbar and other senior leaders such as Salman Khurshid, Sheila Dikshit, Promod Tiwari, and Ashok Gehlot were present on the occasion.
While Babbar said the manifesto is a commitment of Congress to the UP people, Azad termed the event as a historical one due to party's alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP).
The emphasis is on farmers, women, employment, and small-scale industries.
Stressing on the slogan karz maaf – bijli half (loan waived – electricity half), Congress has once again used the promise that brought it back to power at the Centre in 2009. The party has promised to waive off all loans to farmers and artisans and reduce their electricity bills to half. The promises also include reforms in mandi system and fertiliser distribution.
The party has said that it would establish an Agricultural Price Commission, which would help farmers get a price over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced by the Central Government.
Emphasising on women empowerment, the party has mentioned 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayats, and a further impetus to Self Help Groups (SHGs).
While releasing the manifesto, Azad said the party leadership travelled extensively and discussed with the people of UP on issues important to them, and the manifesto is the outcome of those deliberations.
Azad reiterated that the party had decided to go to polls in alliance with SP so that together they could fight the outfits that divide the society.
"Youth, farmers, women, traders, business communities, everyone is disappointed with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)," Azad said adding that the alliance government fill the gap caused by the BJP.
The party promises to create UP Skill Development Mission and a special cell with the Chief Minister to ensure employment to youth and women.
Even for the minority community men and women, the party has promised skills training so that they can set up their own businesses. Congress will also ensure credit facilities for small-scale industries and small businesses.
Speaking on the occasion, Babbar said the party would work for the uplift of poor.
The party will introduce an Ambedkar Arogya Scheme to ensure that the poor get medical treatment up to Rs 2 lakh in govt and private hospitals.
However, the party did not mention the issue of 'triple talaq' in its manifesto.
—With agency inputs
Some of the promises:
Cycles to girls of class 9 and 11
Setting up of a women police academy
Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for the marriage of girls
More women police stations in each district
Each family in villages to get 150 days of work under MNREGA
Skill development centres
In 5 years, 5 lakh people will be given employment
Improvement of sugar industries
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