Promising to repeal all the “anti-people and unjust laws” enacted by the BJP government within one year of forming the government, the Congress on Tuesday announced that it would take “firm and decisive action as per law to impose a ban on such organisations spreading hatred among communities on the grounds of caste or religion.”
It also said that it would scrap the National Education Policy (NEP) and accept the caste census report, besides reiterating its five guarantees announced earlier.
“The party is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred among communities on grounds of caste and religion. We believe that law and constitution is sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals/organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI, or other promoting enmity or hatred whether among majority or minority communities,” according to the manifesto titled “Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota” that was released here by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
‘True value of Bharat’
In a series of promises to undo several BJP programmes, the manifesto that was released in the presence of Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar, among others, stated that the NEP would be rejected and a State Education Policy will be formed. “The Congress will restore the true values of Bharath and Karnataka, and the scientific temper in textbooks. The BJP government has distorted textbooks by insulting Basavanna and Kuvempu,” it said.
Reservation matrix
While stating that the reservation quota matrix would be increased to 75% to accommodate hopes of SC/ST/OBC/ Vokkaligas/Lingayats/minorities, the manifesto promised to restore the reservation quota of 4% to Muslims that has been scrapped by the BJP government. In response to the internal reservation matrix announced by the BJP government, the Congress said: “The Justice A.J. Sadashiva Commission report on internal reservation would be tabled in the first session of the legislature session. The caste census report will be implemented.”
Repealing ‘anti-labour’ policies
The Congress also announced that it would repeal all unjust and anti-people laws passed by the BJP government within one year besides repealing the anti-farmers laws enacted by the BJP government. It also announced that all politically motivated cases against farmers would be withdrawn. Stating that the BJP government pursued an anti-labour policy, the Congress announced that it would repeal the amendment brought to Factories Act to increase working time from 8 hours to 12 hours daily.
It said that only to derive power, the BJP’s main focus was to polarise people. However, the Congress believed in equal development and social justice for which ₹10,000 crore would be allocated for welfare of minorities, and preservation of places of worship, the manifesto said.
