After repeating 2009 vows, promises to curb poverty in 100 days!
With its own health in poor shape, the Congress on Wednesday released a populist manifesto with right to health, social security, pension, and renewed its oft-repeated promise to contain poverty in 100 days.
Releasing the manifesto, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh together cautioned that Narendra Modi’s ideology was against the idea of India and the Congress will fight in a determined manner to ensure that his ideology was defeated.
Expressing confidence that the UPA will form the government again and that BJP’s campaign “balloon” will burst like ‘India Shining’ in 2004, Rahul warned that Modi coming to power would be damaging for the country. Against the backdrop of price rise remaining a huge concern across the country and also leading to Congress’ drubbing in the Assembly polls recently, the Congress promised to take “firm action to curb price rise”.
The Congress again put forth its old cliché of first 100 days of governance promising to bring in the GST Bills and Direct Tax Code in Parliament, and a detailed Jobs Agenda to create 10 crore new jobs for the youth. The Congress-led UPA II had also promised a 100-day deadline to shape up the economy. Expressing a resolve to tackle corruption, an issue that has hit UPA-II in the form of scams like 2G, coal and CWG, the party pledged to appoint a special envoy on black money stashed abroad.
With Union Minister Jayanthi Natarjan losing her portfolio after Rahul expressed concerns over inordinate delays in several infrastructure projects due to environmental bottlenecks, the manifesto has ensured smooth passage for delayed projects by setting up National Environment Appraisal and Monitoring Authority.
The authority would conduct time-bound environmental appraisals and recommend clearances transparently. Besides, it also talked about setting up a Regulatory Reform Task Force for the review of all regulatory processes of Central Government ministries. The manifesto claims that the Congress will continue its record of delivering India’s highest economic growth rates and promised to restore 8 per cent plus growth rate within three years.
It also promises to introduce policies to lift 80 crore people into the middle class. Setting out a 15-point agenda for India’s socio-economic and political transformation, the Congress promised to bring two-thirds of India’s population --- the skilled hands that build the country --- into the middle class through a package of basic rights for all formal, informal, organised, unorganised, regular and contractual workers.
When asked during a media interaction, whether he (Rahul) agreed with the statement of the Prime Minister that Modi’s coming to power will be “disastrous” for the country, Rahul said, “The PM is a wise man and on most of the issues I bow to him. I tend to agree with his wisdom.”
Sonia and Rahul also debunked the opinion polls which are predicting a dismal show by the UPA in the upcoming lok Sabha polls.
Contending that “attempts of disinformation” are being made, Manmohan Singh said that in all respects, the record of the UPA has been “superior” to that of the NDA. On the continuous attack by the Opposition, an assertive Singh said, “BJP attacked me thinking I was weak and will run away. But I have proved them wrong.”
Asked about the attack over corruption, the Prime Minister said it “cannot be wished away” in a developing economy. At the same time, he said the UPA Government had put in certain mechanisms in place by which “corruption will be a thing of the past. I am confident that the next UPA Government will be able to overcome this.”
About job reservation in private sector, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said the word reservation does not figure in the manifesto and this may be typical disinformation spread through media. “What we have talked about is affirmative action for weaker section --- particularly Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Affirmative action means preferential policies for procurement, it means special incentives for education,” Ramesh said.
He said a decision extended reservation in private sector can be taken only after a debate, discussions and a consensus. “We have not promised reservations (in the private sector),” he clarified.