In a bold and unexpected move, the Congress party on Tuesday decided to 'catch Bajrang Dal' by its tail by promising to ban the outfit if it is voted to power in Karnataka.
In the same breath, the party has also promised a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and described both groups as ones that “promote enmity or hatred.”
The announcements will change the political narrative in the state and could well be the defining moment for the Congress. The promised ban on Bajrang Dal will have a major impact in the south coastal belt of Karnataka where the Dal is popular and has a large following. The VHP is also likely get drawn into the narrative to protect the Dal and this may lead to a polarization of Hindu groups.
“The law and Constitution are sacrosanct and cannot be violated by outfits like the Bajrang Dal or the PFI by promoting enmity or hatred, be it among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law, including imposing a ban on any such organisations,’’ said the Congress in its manifesto soon after its release.
Congress' manifesto targets to favour backward communities and women
Many see the move to ban the Bajrang Dal as a part of the minority vote bank appeasement policy. Along with this, the manifesto tries to woo the backward communities and women and has promised to fight corruption – a charge that has stuck to the BJP.
In a move aimed at the SC/ST/OBC/minority, the Congress has promised to hike the reservation ceiling from 50% to 75%, including the restoration of a 4% quota for Muslims. It has also promised to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme and repeal all “unjust laws and anti-people laws passed by the BJP government” within a year of assuming power.
The party said it would also push for the inclusion of reservation hike in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to safeguard it and has promised to release the Socio-Economic and Caste Census report in the first session of the legislature, if voted to power.
The promise to raise the reservation ceiling comes at a time when the BJP has made internal reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (STs), earmarked quota hike for Vokkaligas and Lingayats, and has mooted scrapping of reservation for Muslims.
Other key promises assured by Congress
Other key assurances include the fulfillment of the demand of a section of government employees to bring back the Old Pension Scheme, Rs 1.5 lakh crore for various irrigation projects and streamlining payment to contractors who take up government projects. These include the three farm laws that the Centre repealed but are still in force in Karnataka.
Addressing the issue of unemployment, the manifesto said the party would “fill up approved vacancies in all government departments within one year” and “sympathetically consider the extension of the Old Pension Scheme” to government employees who joined the service from 2006 onwards.
The promise to streamline payments to contractors is a direct hit on the BJP and comes in the wake of corruption allegations that the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association has levelled against the BJP government. The manifesto promises to “abolish corruption in public works” and “create a transparent tender system” for projects of various government departments.
It has promised a “special law to punish the perpetrators of corruption”. The party said it would ensure that projects are taken up within 90 days of the issue of the work order and are completed within a specific timeframe and that bills are settled on time for contractors.
The Congress has promised to protect Nandini – the milk brand which it called Karnataka’s pride. Last month, a row erupted in the state over reports that Nandini, a popular brand of the state-run Karnataka Milk Federation, would merge with Amul. The Congress has promised to implement a Ksheera Kranti Mission to increase daily milk production to 1.5 crore litres.
