Congress has released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the last five years, the Congress, as the main opposition party to the BJP, has been criticising the management of the BJP, especially Modi, so it was expected that the Congress manifesto would have something different and special than that from the BJP. But it doesn’t look like that. The words youth, women, farmers and poor have always been a part of the speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP has also organised various programs across the country for Nari Shakti. Apparently, the same issues have been included in Congress’ manifesto.
The Congress has four main parts in its manifesto. This includes Youth, Women, Farmers and Workers. Congress has promised what the party will do for these four classes if it comes to power. Obviously, MSP is one of the important issues of the farmers. It seems like what Congress is pitching against Modi, is from the previous Lok Sabha elections. Adani, Electoral Bond, Manipur violence are definitely new issues. But in the speeches of Congress leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi, have been stressing more on the threat to democracy and also the Indian Constitution. In fact, defenders of international democracy have often pointed this out. Some have even gone to the extent of declaring that India is already an ‘elected dictatorship’. But Rahul Gandhi has brought it up so many times that the overuse of these words has reduced its effectiveness.
Another striking point in the Congress manifesto that seems to be closer to a typical Communist Party is its promise to start an unemployment allowance. The Marxists also released their manifesto last week and talked about rolling back privatisation and imposing tough new taxes on the rich. Congress has promised jobs or apprenticeships worth Rs 1 lakh per year to unemployed educated youth. An annual gift of 1 lakh rupees will also be given to every Indian woman. But like other parties, if the Congress recklessly spends taxpayers’ money for such ‘Rewadi’ allocation, where will the money come from to build airports, roads, hospitals, universities, etc? So the Congress actually had an opportunity, in fact still has, to do a reality check on the implementation of the schemes that the Modi government is peddling from village to village, claiming that they are reaching the last strata of society. Only then will Congress connect at the grassroots level. If Rahul Gandhi is under the illusion that people are connected with him after two yatras, then it is wrong. Because during these yatras many top leaders of Congress left the party and joined the BJP. It seems the Congress is not acting as aggressively as it should have acted as an opposition party. It is clearly visible that the government’s investigation machinery has been chasing the leaders of the opposition party and due to this, the strength of the opposition party in the democracy is declining. The biggest opposition party in this country should guess what the voters will do on this particular issue. In fact, today the country needs a very strong opposition party.
Has the Congress taken stock of what percentage of the country still has drinking water as a major issue? There are many issues which directly touch the hearts of the people, but the Congress does not seem to highlight them strongly. Instead, by objecting to the EVM system, Rahul Gandhi is spreading pessimism among the Congress workers and voters by saying that no matter how many anti-BJP voters cast their vote, Modi will still make a comeback using the EVM. Infact, the opposition parties have an opportunity to present an account of whether the government, which claims that crores of people have been pulled out of poverty, has really succeeded or failed.
The Congress has included a new point in its manifesto this time, which is a promise to amend the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The Congress has promised to make an amendment where if an MLA or MP leaves the original party and joins another party, the member of the Legislative Assembly or Parliament will be automatically disqualified. It is obvious that the Congress feels it necessary to amend this clause and tighten the Anti-Defection Act. It is good that Congress has thought of this. But many other things in the Congress manifesto are old and outdated. Rahul Gandhi, through the Bharat Jodo Yatra, has been projected as a calm and moderate leader. But whether people value this projected image will be known only after a few days.
