55-page document also has moderate GST, Rs 72,000/annum to poor & women safety as key focus
In a counter to the BJP's narrative of nationalism for the 2019 election campaign, the Congress manifesto has made poll promises in three key areas -- rising cases of unemployment, farmers' distress and women security. The document, Congress Will Deliver, was released Tuesday by party president Rahul Gandhi, his mother UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh, former union minister P Chidambaram and senior leaders AK Antony, KC Venugopal, Rajeev Gowda and Randeep Surjewala.
Gandhi said that when the manifesto process started, he had laid out two criteria. "I wanted this manifesto to reflect the wishes of the people. I did not want a single lie in this manifesto. After over a year of work, the team has delivered those two promises," said Gandhi.
He said that the party's counter to BJP's nationalism narrative was NYAY, the minimum income guarantee scheme the party has promised under which 20% of the country's poor will get Rs 72,000 per year.
Promising to halve unemployment numbers in five years, Gandhi said that 22 lakh government vacancies as well as10 lakh jobs in panchayats will be filled up. He also said that apart from farm loan waivers, a separate budget for farmers will also be presented. "If a farmer misses his loan payment, it will no longer be a criminal offence," he said.
Some of the other key promises in the manifesto are that entrepreneurs will not need any permissions for starting a business in the first three years. The party has also declared that if it comes to power, everyone will have a right to healthcare and free diagnostics, out-patient care, medicines and hospitalisation will be provided in government as well as some private hospitals. The number of days of guaranteed work under NREGA will be increased from 100 to 150 days, is another promise.
The party has also promised to provide free and compulsory school education till class twelve in public schools, and increase the GDP spend on education to 6 percent. It has also promised to pass the Women's Reservation Bill in the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha, and bring in a law to outlaw hate crimes.
Former union minister P Chidambaram said the focus will be to "create wealth and guarantee welfare". "This manifesto is millions of voices we've heard," he said.
AMIT SHAH
Congress manifesto is a pack of lies...It’s an insult to the country’s people and its brave soldiers...It is bringing a smile to terrorists and separatists while lowering the morale of the country’s armed forces...
P CHIDAMBARAM
It (sedition law) is a colonial era law. Not one but many people have said sedition law has become outdated. Anything that comes under sedition has no safeguards at all. It has become redundant...
UDDHAV THACKERAY
I have not read the manifesto. I wonder what issues they might have taken up...There should be one law in the country. Terrorism, which has raised its ugly head in Kashmir, should be removed by its roots
MANISH SISODIA
Today, the Congress has crossed all limits. While it has promised full statehood to Puducherry, there is no such mention about Delhi. What enmity do these (BJP and Congress) parties have with the people of Delhi?
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