Bengaluru (Karnataka) : The ambitious manifesto of the Karnataka State Congress was released today by AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge at a function held at a private hotel in the city. In the latest manifesto, Congress made a subtle attack on the BJP by titling it 'Sarva Janagada Shantiya Thota' (Paradise of Peace to All), a promise that suggests a direct counter to the saffron brigade's alleged 'politics of religious polarisation' across the country.
Congress's Karnataka-specific guarantees include Griha Jyoti giving 200 units of free electricity. A Youth Fund will be given to provide life security to the unemployed. The reason for giving this is that the current governments are not providing employment to the youth. Unemployment is increasing in the country. Due to this, when we came to power in the state, the married youth were given Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500 will be given to those who complete the diploma, he said with commitment.
The Congress manifesto compared Viswa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) Baj Rang Dal with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), a radical Islamic outfit, and announced its commitment to ban any organisation that promotes "enmity or hatred" among different communities. Congress vowed decisive action against individuals and organisations that instigate conflicts among castes and religions.
Speaking after releasing the manifesto, Mallikarjun Kharge said that a good manifesto has been prepared for Karnataka and this is a manifesto that gives people all-around comfort. Earlier, when Siddaramaiah was the CM when there was a Congress government that fulfilled 158 of the 165 promises it made. He said that if there is any party that does what it says, it is the Congress.
Along with free electricity and a Youth fund, Congress assures to provide 10 kg of rice under the Annabhagya Yojana and help women under Griha Lakshmi Yojana. It says Central and state BJP governments have failed to control the problem of price rise. The poor and the lower middle class have been left reeling. Citing this, the Congress manifesto promised Rs two thousand rupees to women every month through Griha Lakshmi Yojana. Needy families will get the benefit of this.
Another major promise of Congress is free bus travel to all women. Women who go to work and other activities do not have the power to pay the bus fare. Women travel inevitably from village to town for various tasks and from one district to another. They need to be facilitated. "I give a guarantee that we will definitely give these five guarantees," Kharge said.
State Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, KPCC President D K Shivakumar, Manifesto Drafting Committee Chairman Dr Parameshwar, KPCC Working President Salim Ahmed, Former Minister Rani Satish, AICC Spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh and others were present.
Kharge said the BJP government has not honestly implemented the promises it made though it was given an opportunity. "I am urging the Congress state leaders to approve and implement all these guarantees in the first Cabinet when our government came to power. This government has not done the job of providing proper justice to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes," he said.
Kharge said that earlier, when there was a government led by Siddaramaiah, Congress brought a special act for ensuring justice to SC, STs. "We are confident that the Congress government will come and we will reach our target of 150 seats," AICC president said.
