The Congress on Friday released its manifesto for the general elections 2024 focusing on equality, youth, women, farmers, workers, Constitution, economy, federalism, national security, environment, jobs creation and nonetheless inclusion of more reservations in various segments and work on caste census. 

Right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee for MSP, passing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs, a nation-wide caste census and scrapping of Agnipath scheme are also among the promises made by the party in manifesto released at the AICC headquarters in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Invoking Rabindranath Tagore’s “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high”, the grand old party made a fervent appeal to people to repose faith in the party in the Lok Sabha polls and promised greater freedom, faster growth and justice for all.

“The economy has registered less-than-satisfactory growth. Widespread unemployment, high inflation and falling consumption have debilitated even this modest growth. While the poor and the middle classes have been hit below the belt and the atmosphere in the country has become hate-filled and divisive,” the party alleged.

“It is time to remind ourselves of Tagore’s immortal words in Gitanjali: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high...Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake,” the manifesto concluded.

In the 45-page document titled ‘Nyay Patra’, featuring pictures of Kharge and Rahul and Bharat Jodo Yatras, the Congress said it would implement 10 per cent quota in jobs, educational institutions for economically weaker sections (EWS) for all castes, communities without discrimination if it comes to power.

The party also promised full Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, besides giving special status to Andhra Pradesh, full Statehood to Puducherry, and to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, to declare that Lt Governor shall act on the aid and advice of Council of Ministers of NCT, Delhi.

It also promised to fill nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned posts at various levels in the Central Government and said the Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to `25 lakh will be adopted for ensuring universal healthcare across the country.

The Congress will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC if it comes to power in the general elections beginning April 19, the party promised.

The party also said it will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census ensuring equitable distribution among all sections as per their population. It said it will review all laws that interfere with the right to privacy and make suitable amendments to various laws to uphold the right to privacy. It also promised to restore the voters’ trust in the election process by amending election laws and ensuring that VVPAT slips are tallied with EVMs. The Congress said it will review the new education policy brought by the NDA.

It also promised to enact a law on bail that will incorporate the principle that ‘bail is the rule, jail is the exception’ in all criminal laws. It further promised to introduce comprehensive prison reforms. It said it guarantees a new ‘right to apprenticeship act’ to provide one-year apprenticeship to every diploma holder or graduate below age of 25, under which apprentices will get `one lakh a year. It also promised to provide financial assistance of `one lakh cash transfer to a woman of poor households under the Mahalakshmi scheme.

“We will reserve one-half (50 per cent) of Central Government jobs for women starting in 2025. We will increase the wage under MGNREGA to Rs 400 per day. MGNREGA funds and workers may also be deployed to build public assets such as classrooms, libraries and primary health centres,” the party said.

Besides, it said it will give legal guarantee to Minimum Support Prices (MSP) announced by the Government every year as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

It said it will launch an urban employment programme guaranteeing work for urban poor in reconstruction, renewal of urban infrastructure. The party said in the document that it would abolish the Agnipath programme and direct the Armed forces to resume normal recruitment to achieve full sanctioned strength.

Rahul said this Lok Sabha election is a fight between forces who are trying to “destroy” the Constitution and democracy in the country and those protecting them. He said it is a much closer contest than propagated by the media, and expressed confidence of winning the polls.