Bengaluru: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday announced guarantees for 'Shramik Nyay' and 'Hissedari Nyay', ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Kharge promised a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent limit on reservation for SCs, STc and OBCs and a comprehensive social, economic and caste census if Congress comes to power.
At a joint press conference with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar at a private hotel in Bengaluru, Kharge said that Congress guarantees social, economic and caste census under these guarantees. "Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is nearing its end. The Kisan Nyay, Yuva Nyay and Nari Nyay guarantees have already been announced. Under this, each 'Nyay' has five points, totaling 15 in these three guarantees. Today we are announcing Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay guarantees'' Kharge said.
"If our government comes to power at the Centre, we will implement the Shramik Nyay. Congress has worked to uplift the rights of workers. We have provided social justice and service security to the workers through many laws. For over a decade, PM Modi has weakened labour laws and labour welfare schemes. We believe in the federal system where grants should be given to the states on time by the Centre. By now, most of the CMs are begging for their grants to the Centre. NREGA scheme has not been implemented yet," he said.
Kharge said that the 'right to health' is provided under the Shramik Nyay Scheme. "Through this scheme, we are going to provide various medical assistance including global health care, free medicines, treatment, necessary diagnostic and surgery to the workers. We will pay at least Rs 400 daily to unorganised sector workers. Also, we will implement the Urban Employment Guarantee Act under Shramik Nyay. We are going to implement comprehensive social security through which we are going to provide life insurance and accident insurance for workers of the unorganised sector. We are going to review the anti-labour laws comprehensively and amend them to protect the rights of workers," he added.
Speaking about the guarantee for Hissedari Nyay, Kharge said the gap between the rich and the poor is widening so Congress will conduct a caste survey in order to distribute the country's wealth equally. "The caste survey report has been prepared in Karnataka. If there is a minor error we will correct it but PM Modi does not agree with the caste survey," he alleged.
"We are going to make a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservation under Hissedari Nyay. Besides, we are going to revive SC Sub-Plan and ST Sub-Plan. We guarantee protection of tribal forest rights. We are going to give legal rights to water, forest and land and thereby work towards protecting water, forest and land. We are going to amend the Forest Act and provide safety to the tribals. We are going to give MSP guarantee to minor forest products as well. All anti-tribal laws in the Forest Protection Amendment Act and the Land Acquisition Act will be withdrawn. Protection of cultural rights of tribals and guarantee of self-governance will be envisaged. We are going to notify the area where ST category is high," he said.
Kharge said that the party will implement all five guarantees and with five points each, it will total to 25 within the stipulated time period. He alleged that PM Modi's guarantees have not been implemented yet.
"Rs 15 lakh has not yet been deposited to the accounts of the common people and farmers' income has not been doubled. Seventy percent of what PM Modi promised is false. Ten years have passed but the bullet train has not arrived. Where is the bullet train? Our leaders are not willing to lie but PM Modi is not afraid to lie. Vande Bharat trains are being run by painting fresh coats of colour. We built the train tracks and provided 27 new trains. We are formulating guarantees that can be implemented,'' Kharge said.
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