Justice Markandey Katju: Congress manifesto makes empty promises

Justice Markandey Katju

By Justice Markandey Katju–

(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own)

On Friday, April 5, the Congress party released its election manifestoNyaya Patra — for the upcoming Indian parliamentary elections (April 19-June 1, seven phases). The results are to be declared on June 4.

As expected, the manifesto promises the moon. You can read the highlights are here and here. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said it will change India.

However, everyone knows that election promises mean nothing. In fact, the manifesto’s heavy emphasis on caste, and lifting the 50% caste reservations, shows it has an eye on the votes of lower castes and the Muslim minority. In this respect, it is really anti-national. The national
interest requires the destruction of the feudal caste system which is holding back India’s progress.

The 5 justices and 25 guarantees it promises sound hollow, considering that Congress was in power in India for decades. Why did it not implement them then? It promises a lot of jobs to Indian youth, but how will it provide them? Large scale jobs are created when the economy is rapidly expanding, but the Indian economy is stagnant, if not in recession.

The manifesto talks of doubling India’s GDP in 10 years; easier said than done. The question is not just about GDP growth, but also who is getting its fruit. Just a handful of big businessmen or the Indian masses?

It promises a lot of doles. For example, ₹100,000 to every woman in India every year, but where will all this money come from? From Mr Gandhi’s pocket?

It emphasizes the freedoms mentioned in the Constitution, and promises lives without fear if Congress comes to power. But who imposed the fake Emergency of 1975 when all freedoms were crushed just to ensure that Indira Gandhi remains in power, and who massacred Sikhs
in 1984 after her assassination?

It is not necessary to go into each of the slew of promises made in the Congress manifesto. They are all designed to get votes from various sections of society, by regarding the Indian people gullible enough to believe them.

But from their bitter experience after Independence in 1947 and numerous elections thereafter, the Indian people have learnt that these promises mean nothing; they will never be implemented.

Truth be told, most Indians vote for the caste and religion of the candidate (or the caste or religion which the candidate’s party claims to represent), and overlook the real problems of poverty, unemployment, child malnutrition (every second child in India is malnourished, according to Global Hunger Index), skyrocketing inflation,. lack of proper healthcare and good education, etc.

The Congress party is accustomed to being in power, as it has been over the decades. It has been enjoying both power and pelf, and regards that as its birthright, with the Nehru-Gandhi family as the royal dynasty of India. It feels like a fish out of water when not in power. In 2019, it was reduced to just 52 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament), i.e. less than 10%. Now, it is desperate to come back to power.

Through this manifesto, it has promised all kinds of alms to the poor and suffering Indian people, posing to be their savior. But the Indian people, having learnt from bitter experience, and seen how the Congress leaders looted India, have deserted it with loud and irreverent laughter, and will not be carried away by these promises.

In fact none of the present political parties in India can solve India’s massive socio-economic problems. These parties promote polarization and incite hatred to get caste and religious vote banks, and do not really have the people’s welfare in their hearts.

Dark days are ahead for India.

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