Cong to woo youths with right to employment promise in Lok Sabha polls

 For the first time, the Congress will promise the youths “right to employment” as part of its poll manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and is mulling stringent punishment for those responsible for paper leaks in examinations.

The Congress’ manifesto committee on Wednesday handed over a copy of the draft manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence here. The draft manifesto was finalised by the panel members after lengthy deliberations. The panel, headed by former Union minister P Chidambaram, handed over the draft to Kharge in the presence of committee members Shashi Tharoor, K Raju, Gurdeep Sappal and Imran Pratapgarhi.

In a post on X, Kharge said, “From Green Revolution and White Revolution to building PSUs, from telecom and IT revolution to liberalisation, from inclusive governance to rights-based paradigm — the Indian National Congress has always been committed to the welfare and development of India.” “Our draft manifesto based on ‘NYAY’ for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections is ready and was presented to me today by the Congress Manifesto Committee,” he added.

The focus on youths comes as part of Congress’ bid to woo them ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In the manifesto, the party would also propose a stringent law and punishment against those responsible for paper leaks in the country and will suggest measures to bring transparency in government recruitment, sources said.

Top party sources said the promises will be part of the Congress manifesto which is likely to be finalised once the Congress Working Committee approves it. The measures proposed in the draft manifesto come after Rahul Gandhi, during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, focussed on the plight of lakhs of students due to frequent paper leaks and cancellation of exams thereafter, like in Uttar Pradesh.

The thrust of the draft manifesto is on the “Paanch-nyay” (five pillars of justice) promised by the Congress during the Rahul Gandhi-led ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, sources said. The party manifesto would also focus on a legal guarantee to minimum support price and a caste-based census in the country for filling up the government vacancies. It is also likely to give thrust on some welfare measures like providing financial assistance to marginalised sections of society and ensuring that they get justice and be part of the state welfare measures.

In a post on X, P Chidambaram, the chairman of the Congress Manifesto Committee, said that he and some of the members presented the Draft Manifesto to the Congress president. “Members of the Congress Manifesto Committee led by Chairman P Chidambaram met with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji tonight to hand over the draft of our 2024 manifesto for submission to the Working Committee. Once approved or amended by the CWC, our proposals will be released. Gurdeep Singh Sappal, K Raju and Imran Pratapgarhi attended,” Tharoor said.