The Congress party released its manifesto for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on Wednesday. The party is fighting elections on 105 seats in the 403 seat Assembly election. Congress General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad, UP Congress chief Raj Babbar, Salman Khurshid and other senior leaders released the manifesto in Lucknow on Wednesday at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee HQ.
The 12-page manifesto condemned BJP’s “anti-poor and anti-people policies”, saying, “Divisive forces run rampant with impunity across the country…To combat these forces our two great parties (SP-Cong) have allied.”
The Congress also described its coming together with Samajwadi Party as “an important moment” in the history of country’s politics.
Noting that BJP’s “agenda of hatred and divisiveness becomes clearer with every election”, the manifesto pledged to enact a new law on hate crimes to provide enhanced punishment to those who create tension on basis of caste, gender and religion.
The party vowed to appoint a police ombudsman to handle cases of police oppression and set up a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to ensure compensation to victims of criminal oppression.
For safety of women, it said the law passed by erstwhile UPA government would be implemented effectively against anyone guilty of atrocities and crimes against women.
It promised to launch Kanya Sanshaktikaran Yojana to ensure Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for every girl child when she turns 18, besides scholarships to women pursuing higher studies.
The party also vowed to give 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayat elections.
The manifesto, released by UP PCC chief Raj Babbar, promised to ensure special protection for the most backward and oppressed groups among Dalits to help them get better access to jobs and education.
“We shall appoint a Diversity Commission and a Vikas Mitra in every block to ensure delivery of all schemes,” it said.
The party vowed to provide free legal aid to all members of the SC, ST, OBC communities and appoint Suraksha Mitra to assist in filing of cases committed against Dalits.
Additional grants for marriage of girls belonging to these communities and provision of special financial assistance to them to start their own business besides medical and housing facilities have also been promised in the document.
