The Congress party unveiled its manifesto for the next Lok Sabha elections on Friday, emphasising employment opportunities, cash transfers for women, and caste censuses.
The Congress party unveiled its manifesto on Friday, focusing on the five “pillars of justice” in advance of the next Lok Sabha elections. The party prioritized caste census, employment opportunities, and monetary transfers for women in its agenda.
The Congress manifesto listed the “Paanch Nyay,” or five pillars of justice, as “Yuva Nyay,” “Naari Nyay,” “Kisaan Nyay,” “Shramik Nyay,” and “Hissedari Nyay.”
As stated in the party platform,
To list the castes, sub-castes, and socioeconomic circumstances of each, Congress will carry out a national socioeconomic caste census. The party declared that it would forward the affirmative action agenda in light of the statistics.
The party pledges to approve a constitutional change raising the cap on reservations for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes to fifty percent.
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) will have a 10% reservation in employment and educational opportunities for all castes and communities, without exception.
Within a year, the party will fill all backlog positions held by Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
Congress will ensure that regular appointments are made and will outlaw the contractualization of permanent posts in the public sector and the government.
The party will give the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes more access to institutional financing so they can start enterprises, build homes, and buy property.
Under the party’s “unconditional cash transfer” pledge, every impoverished Indian family will receive Rs one lakh annually as part of the Mahalakshmi project, which will be implemented nationwide.
Under the land ceiling Acts, Congress will create a body to oversee the allocation of surplus and government land to the underprivileged.
The extent
The amount allocated for scholarships to students from Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes would be quadrupled, with a particular focus on higher education.
The party would provide a new “Right to Apprenticeship Act” that would grant all diploma holders and graduates under 25 years old with a one-year apprenticeship.
Congress would create an all-block network of residential schools for the underprivileged, with a focus on pupils from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The party will respect and preserve the rights of religious minorities as well as the fundamental freedom to practice one’s religion as specified in Articles 15, 16, 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30 of the Constitution. Additionally, it will preserve and respect the rights of linguistic minorities as stipulated in Articles 15,
The party will expand the number of study abroad scholarships and reinstate the Maulana Azad Scholarships.
The party would make sure that banks treat minorities equally when granting institutional credit. Additionally, it will guarantee that minorities, free from discrimination, have equal access to opportunities in public employment, healthcare, education, skill development, sports, and cultural events.
The party will guarantee minorities the opportunity to choose their own laws, attire, cuisine, and language.
The party will support personal law reform.
The party would accede to long-standing requests to add other languages to the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule.