To woo the voters particularly unemployed youth and women, the Congress on Wednesday launched the party’s ‘Ghar Ghar Guarantee’ campaign, an outreach progamme that aims reaching the doorsteps of eight crore families over the next few weeks with a message about what the party would do for the people if it comes to power.
Among the guarantees is guaranteed apprenticeship with stipend of Rs one lakh per annum for every educated youth, Rs one lakh every year to the woman head of every poor family, loan waiver and legal guarantee of MSP in accordance with the Swaminathan formula for farmers, Rs 400 minimum wage which would apply to MNREGA, too, and caste census.
The guarantee card represents the Congress’s main election plank for the coming Lok Sabha polls. It seeks to set a narrative that the people are in great distress and facing injustice in various ways, and how the Congress and the INDIA Bloc would seek to alleviate their problems. It also runs counter to the BJP’s ‘Modi ki Guarantee’ campaign.
The Congress’s poll pitch is centred around “Paanch Nyay” or five pillars of justice — “Yuva Nyay”, “Naari Nyay”, “Kisaan Nyay”, “Shramik Nyay” and “Hissedari Nyay” — as well as the guarantees it has given to people under these heads. The grand old party is scheduled to release its Lok Sabha poll manifesto on Friday, with its top leaders addressing mega rallies in Jaipur and Hyderabad the next day.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched the campaign in the North East Delhi parliamentary constituency in the national Capital by distributing the Congress Guarantee card, which lists out five Nyay and 25 guarantees.
Congress workers over the next few weeks will reach out to eight crore families and distribute the guarantee cards printed in 14 different languages.
The guarantees were announced by Kharge and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi during the recently concluded Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
At the launch of the campaign in Usmanpur area of North East Delhi, which was, at one time, the Congress’s stronghold and which predominantly comprises resettlement colonies, Kharge said, “We are distributing this guarantee card to take our Panch Nyay Pachees Guarantee to the people. All Congress leaders and workers will tell the people about what our alliance government will do when it comes to power.”
“Modi talks about Modi ki Guarantee, but his guarantees never reach the people, they are never fulfilled,” Kharge said.
Under the “Yuva Nyay”, the party has promised “Bharti Bharosa” -- 30 lakh new Central Government jobs, according to a jobs calendar. Under “Pehli Naukri Pakki”, the Congress has promised a one-year paid apprenticeship for all educated youngsters at Rs 1 lakh a year or Rs 8,500 a month.
It has promised a law to ensure that Government recruitment examination question papers are not leaked and also, better working conditions and social security for gig workers.
Under its “Yuva Roshni” guarantee, the party has promised Rs 5,000-crore start-up fund for youngsters. As part of “Nari Nyay”, the Congress has promised the “Mahalakshmi” guarantee of Rs 1 lakh a year for a woman in every poor family.
It has promised 50 per cent reservation for women in new Central Government jobs and doubling the Centre’s salary contribution for all ASHA, anganwadi and mid-day meal workers. The party has promised “Adhikar Maitri” in every village to ensure that women get their legal rights. It has also promised to double the number of hostels for working women.
Under “Kisaan Nyay”, the Congress has promised a legal guarantee to an MSP for crops following the Swaminathan formula, and a standing loan-waiver commission for farmers, if it comes to power. It has also guaranteed insurance payment within 30 days of crop loss and a stable import-export policy to benefit farmers.
The party has also promised no GST on inputs for farming. The party has promised a national minimum wage of Rs 400 a day, including for all MGNREGA workers.
Under “Hissedari Nyay”, the Congress has promised a social, economic and caste census. It has also promised removing the 50 per cent cap on SC, ST and OBC reservation through a constitutional amendment and a special budget for the SCs and STs, equal to their share of the population.
