In what could be deemed the outcome of rising public awareness towards significance of exercising their right to franchise, the electorates have asked the political parties to add their prominent issues in the manifestos so as to ensure their redressal after the polls.
The novel trend for getting their grievances redressed is being witnessed in this ongoing election season as Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Association (CIFA), Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Shakti Manch (ABMSM), Toll Hatao Sangharsh Samiti Haryana (THSSH) and Dr Ambedkar Missionaries Vidyarthi Association (DAMVA) have demanded the political parties to include their issues in their poll manifestos.
Representatives of these outfits opined that this is the high time to mount pressure on the political parties to prepare the ground for getting their issues redressed.Om Prakash Dhankhar, Haryana Secretary of CIFA, an umbrella association of farm groups from different states, has demanded the political parties to include the farmers’ long-standing demandof implementation of Swaminaathan Committee in their manifestos prominently.
“The farmers across the State have been struggling hard to get this demand fulfilled from a long time but the Congress Government did not pay any heed towards it. Now, the ball is in the farmers’ court due to the lok Sabha polls hence they are also not in a mood to miss the opportunity,” said Dhankhar.
Dr Santosh Dahiya, chief of ABMSM and a prominent Khap leader said, “All political parties should public their strategies about checking crime against women and ensuring their safety and security. All these issues should be included by the political parties in their poll plank.”
Virender Hooda, president of THSSH, which is spearheading a campaign against the toll tax for last three months, said “The samiti has been demanding ‘Toll Free Haryana’ for the social cause and want to get the issue added in the manifestos of the political parties which are in the public domain these days for seeking votes.”
“The issues like student union polls, filling of backlog vacancies should be placed in the manifesto of the political parties so as to get them resolved after the elections,” said Vikram Dumoliya, unit chief of DAMVA.