VCK president and candidate for the Chidambaram (Reserved) Parliamentary constituency Thol. Thirumavalavan on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, released the election manifesto of his party for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on April 19.
T.N. Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare M.R.K. Panneerselvam received the first copy of the manifesto, at the event held in Jayankondapattinam near Chidambaram.
The VCK is contesting in the polls in the DMK’s alliance under the INDIA bloc, from two constituencies, Chidambaram and Villupuram, both reserved.
Mr. Thirumavalavan alleged that democracy in the country was under threat from the BJP due to its divisive, fascist and anti-people policies, and said the upcoming elections were crucial. The Opposition parties had come together to protect India’s sovereignty, social justice, secularism, federalism and fraternity, and to deliver a crushing defeat to the ruling party in the elections, he said.
Mr. Thirumavalavan highlighted some of his party’s key poll promises, which include Tamil Nadu’s long-pending demand for the retrieval of Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka to solve the problems of Tamil fishermen; a change in India’s foreign policy; the constitution of a strengthened Lok Pal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the States to eradicate corruption; the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA); abolition of the post of Governors; removal of Governor as Chancellor of State Universities; abolition of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposed policy and Statehood for the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The manifesto also highlighted the need for the State Reorganisation Commission to consider the demand for new States; raising the income limit for BPL category of persons; extension of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to 200 days; a pension scheme for farm labourers and separate banks for Dalit and Scheduled Tribe communities.
Other promises include a separate budget for agriculture; the waiver of farm loans and the abolition of the 10% quota for economically weaker sections.
The manifesto also demanded more autonomy for States; the establishment of a branch of the Supreme Court in Chennai; making Tamil an official language of the Madras High Court; exemption for Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET); transfer of education back to the State list; Chennai as the second capital of the country and the need for separate legislation for ‘honour’ killings.
