Will scrap NEP, ban Bajrang Dal, raise reservation to 75 per cent, says Congress manifesto

BENGALURU: The Congress party has announced that it will repeal the National Education Police (NEP), implemented by the BJP government in the state, if elected to power. It also said that textbooks will be revised for the purpose. The party has also promised to raise the reservation ceiling to 75 per cent and restore the 4 per cent Muslim OBC quota.

Apart from the five guarantees of 200 units of free power, unemployment dole, 10 kg of rice and Rs 2,000 per month for the woman heads of BPL families, announced earlier, the Congress has promised free travel for women in buses, raising wages for anganwadi workers to Rs 15,000 and for mini anganwadi workers to Rs 10,000, for ASHA workers from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000, for midday meal workers from Rs 3,600 to Rs 6,000 and replealing all the ‘anti-people’ laws brought by the BJP government in one year.

Before releasing the manifesto, the Congress leaders applied kumkum and turmeric on the copies.

The Congress manifesto also promises to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees, 33 per cent reservation for women in police recruitments, Rs 5,000 special monthly allowance for police personnel on night duty, one month’s extra pay for all police personnel and establishment of a forensic laboratory in Kanakapura. It has also promised strict legal measures to prevent atrocities on women and withdrawal of all politically motivated cases against farmers.

The party manifesto also promises a cardiac care scheme in the name of Dr Puneeth Rajkumar, Rs, 2,500 crore allocation for organic farming, setting up of a development board for the third gender, free bus pass for the companion of physically challenged persons, increasing milk production to 1.5 crore litres per day, increasing support price for milk from Rs 5 to Rs 7, interest-free loans of up to Rs 3 lakh for the purchase of cows and buffaloes.

The party has also promised Rs 5,000 honorarium to all priests over 60 years of age, one-time aid of Rs 20,000 to footpath vendors, Rs 1.50 lakh crore for irrigation projects including Mekedatu, Mahadayi, Yettinahole and Varahi and their completion in five years. Students studying in PUC up to post graduate courses will be given free laptops/digital notepads, free pilgrimage for senior citizens once in two years to 15 places in Karnataka and 10 places outside the state, free electric vehicles for girl students who pass with distinction from government and aided institutions.

The party has also promised to bring BWSSB, Bescom, BDA, BMTC under one umbrella organisation, running of buses till 1 am, reviving Indira Canteens, development of lakes and starting water sports and Cauvery water for all areas.

It also said it will take “decisive action” as per law including banning organisations like Bajrang Dal, the Popular Front of India and others. “We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations”, read the Congress manifesto. “The Congress party is committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred against communities on the grounds of caste and religion”, it said.

The manifesto was released by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the presence of KPCC president D K Shivakumar, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala, G Parameshwara, Salim Ahmed and others.