The Congress will release its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on April 5. It is expected to focus on ‘Paanch Nyays,’ or the five pillars of justice, envisioned by former party president Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
The manifesto will be released by the party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi at All India Congress Committee Headquarters in New Delhi.
Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul, and Priyanka Gandhi will highlight the manifesto during public rallies in Jaipur and Hyderabad on April 6. “Since 1926 till date, the Congress Manifesto is a solemn document of the inseparable trust between us and the people of India,” Kharge said in a post on X on Friday.
‘Paanch Nyay’
The manifesto is expected to focus on ‘Paanch Nyays’ or five pillars of justice, including ‘Yuva Nyay’, ‘Naari Nyay’, ‘Kisaan Nyay’, ‘Shramik Nyay’ and ‘Hissedari Nyay’ announced during Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Also Read: Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra isn’t a patch on its first version | 5 Points
The party has already unveiled ‘Kisan Nyay’, which includes legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), ‘Hissedari Nyay’ (share in governance), ‘Yuva Nyay’, which aims to provide mandatory apprenticeship and income to youth, ‘Nari Nyay’ for women and ‘Shramik Nyay’ for workers.
Axe on PMLA, CAA?
The Congress is likely to promise scrapping of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in the manifesto. Interestingly, the ambit of PMLA, under which many opposition leaders have been booked and arrested, was widened under Congress-led UPA government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government strengthened it further through amendments in 2015 and 2019.
The benefits of reservation for Other Backward Categories (OBCs) in private higher educational institutions and private universities is also expected to feature in the Congress manifesto, sources said. The Congress has also been demanding a national caste census to pave way for reservation to OBCs based on population.
The Congress party is also expected to promise repeal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019and the three laws which were enacted to replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc) and the Evidence Act, according to a report in The Indian Express.
‘No OPS’
The Congress is, however, is not expected to include Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in its manifesto, as per the Indian Express report. The party had made a strong pitch for the scheme in the run up to 2023 assembly elections in various states.
The party is, however, expected to promise ‘right to employment’ for youths, and a proposal for stringent punishment for those responsible for paper leaks in examinations.
Also Read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: What are VVPAT slips & what is the INDIA bloc’s demand on this?
The Congress’ demand for complete counting of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) paper slips is also expected to feature in its manifesto.
The party’s manifesto panel was led by former Union Finance Minister, P Chidambaram. It submitted a draft to party President Kharge in March this year. Among other leaders, former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, TS Singh Deo, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor and were also the members of the manifesto panel.
Voting for the will begin on April 19. The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases. The results will be announced on June 4.
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Published: 05 Apr 2024, 08:26 AM IST