New Delhi: The Congress has promised to put down hate speeches, hate crimes and communal conflicts, and asserted that if elected, it will immediately stop “extra-judicial and illegal measures” such as mob lynching, encounter killings and “bulldozer justice”.
The opposition party, in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections released on Friday, also promised that it will scrap the short-duration military recruitment scheme Agnipath and bring back the normal recruitment processes followed by the Army, Navy and the Air Force that will guarantee economic and social security for soldiers.
It promised to revamp the internal security system while alleging that gaps have emerged in it.
Noting that the Chinese intrusions in Ladakh and the Galwan clash in 2020 represented the “biggest setbacks” to the Indian national security in decades and Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving a “clean chit” to China “considerably weakened” the country’s negotiating position, the party said the absence of a formal national security strategy has led to ad hoc and personalised policymaking.
After detailed deliberations, the Congress will issue a comprehensive national security strategy, the party manifesto said.
The Congress said it is implacably opposed to terrorism anywhere in the world and will work with other countries to eliminate terrorist groups, terrorist acts and cross-border terrorism.
“The Congress will work to repair India’s international image that has been damaged by the present government’s intolerance of dissent and suppression of human rights,” the party said.
“The Congress recognises that national security is not enhanced by chest-thumping or exaggerated claims but by quiet attention to our borders and resolute defence preparedness. We will work to restore the status quo ante on our borders with China and to ensure that areas where both armies patrolled in the past are again accessible to our soldiers. We will take the necessary steps to adjust our policy towards China until this is achieved,” the party’s manifesto said.
The Congress also said it will systematically expand the opportunities for women to serve in combat and non-combat roles in the armed forces.
The National Security Council (NSC) and the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) will be brought under the oversight of a select committee of Parliament, it said.
The concept of national security in the 21st century has expanded beyond defence of the territory to include hybrid warfare, data security, cyber security, financial security, communication security and security of trade routes, the party said, promising that it will evolve suitable policies to address each of these subjects.
“Congress will put down with a firm hand hate speeches, hate crimes and communal conflicts. According to NCRB data, crimes against women, SC, ST and minorities have increased. We will identify the perpetrators of such crimes as well as their sponsors and punish them in accordance with law.
“The Congress is firmly opposed to extra-judicial illegal measures like mob lynching, police encounter killings and bulldozer justice. We will stop them immediately and punish the perpetrators in accordance with law,” the party said in its manifesto.
The unfinished agenda of the 2008 reforms are: NATGRID and National Counter-Terrorism Centre. The Congress will take up the two subjects, complete the work, and operationalise them within one year of coming to power.
Noting that the state police is the first responder to threats to internal security, the Congress has promised that it will work with state governments to build, train and equip the state police forces to maintain law and order and to punish offenders without fear or favour.
“Trafficking and selling of drugs will be put down with a firm hand. Increasingly, ports are used to smuggle drugs. The regulatory and penal provisions will be strengthened, and drug smugglers and traffickers, and their accomplices, will be dealt with sternly in accordance with law,” it said.
The strength of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be augmented and modernised, the opposition party said, adding that “our goal is that 33 per cent of these forces will be made up of women” for which the service rules will be revised and updated.
“One Rank One Pension (OROP) will be implemented in accordance with the order of the UPA government dated 26 February 2014. Anomalies that have arisen in the implementation of OROP by the BJP/NDA government will be rectified. We will restore the disability pension and make it tax-free,” the party said.
The party also said the defence minister’s operational directive determines the armed forces’ war planning and the Congress will bring a new operational directive to deal with the current two-front challenge along the border with China.
The Congress also said it will enact a separate legislation for the registration of sports federations/bodies/associations which will ensure full compliance with the Olympic Charter, allow for autonomy and full accountability, and provide recourse for members and sportspersons against discrimination, bias, sexual harassment, abuse, wrongful termination, etc.
Alleging that the BJP has turned out to be a “giant washing machine”, the Congress also vowed that the allegations against those who had cases registered against them but were allowed to escape the law after they joined the BJP would be “revived and investigated”.
In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress said that if it comes to power, it will probe demonetisation, Rafale deal, Pegasus spyware usage, and the electoral bonds scheme and bring those who made “illegal gains” through these measures to justice.
The party alleged that in the last 10 years, several measures taken by the BJP-led NDA government were actually a “cloak for corruption”.
“Some examples are demonetisation, the Rafale deal, Pegasus spyware, and the electoral bonds scheme. Congress will probe these dubious deals and schemes and bring to law those who made illegal gains through these measures,” the manifesto stated.
Claiming that known offenders were allowed to leave the country in the last 10 years, the Congress said the NDA government is perceived to have facilitated their escape and has not been able to bring back any of the “scamsters”.
“The circumstances under which they were allowed to leave the country will be probed and all scamsters and their accomplices will be brought before the law,” the party said.
“The BJP has turned out to be a giant washing machine. Accused in registered cases who joined the BJP were allowed to escape the law. The allegations against such persons will be revived and investigated,” the manifesto said.
