The Samajwadi Party, India has released its election manifesto for 2024 general elections. While conceptualizing the people’s aspiration and their power, Akhilesh Yadav, national President of the party, called it as ‘Janata ki Mang – Our Power’.
In fact the manifesto captures the people’s aspiration in the context of ongoing corporatisation and people’s disempowerment.
Samajwadi Party brought the constitutional categories of Pichda, Dalit, Alpasankyak as PDA and tried to put in the perspective towards collective emancipation from the ‘mythification’ of Indian nation and brought in the relevance of the Constitution and Democracy.
PDA–Mass movement
PDA is shown as one initiative and one thinking. It’s presented as a mass movement for equality of opportunities and participation of backward, Dalit, Minority and women. It assured inclusive development of all the poor and weaker sections of the society.
Save constitution
India engaged in a big way in the movement for save Constitution as the BJP government determined to dismantle it. It’s a biggest threat to the nation and particularly to the PDA community. We all know that we have constituted as Indian nation because of it’s plurality and aspirations that are taken care by the constitution.
The vision document sees it as peoples’ right to save constitution. It also sees right to freedom of media, Right to protect democracy, Right to justice and equality and the Right to independence and autonomy of democratic institutions.
Social and economic rights
The party has captured the truth of increasing poverty and the people’s right to bread, right to social justice, right to get rid of inflation and the right to overcome from poverty and inequalities.
Social justice
The parties and peoples movements have been for a long time demanding caste census. But the BJP and its associate groups and classes oppose it at every level. Is it because it will give rise to the demand for social justice and participation to fight caste, class and gender based inequalities?
Therefore, the Samajwadis promised to conduct caste census by 2025. And on the basis of it the party ensures justice and participation to all by 2029. It further assures that all government vacancies of SC, ST and OBC will be filled by 2025. Besides this the party ensures participation of all sections of the society in the private sector.
Farmer welfare
Farmers have been on the war path for the last several years against the pro-corporate policies of the BJP government. The party saw the perpetual backwardness of the farmers for lack of remunerative price for their produce and promised Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops including milk. The manifesto has promised waiver of farmer loans including of landless farmers in 2024. A pension of Rs 5000 per month will also be provided.
Youth and employment
We have seen the big rise of unemployment during the past 10 years of BJP rule. The youth is pushed into helplessness and severe unrest and also families as they saw a better life among their children growing up.
The vision document promises to fill all government jobs immediately. Under MNREGA, wages will be increased to Rs 450. Laptop distribution scheme for youth will be implemented across the State. Paper leaks and corruption in competitive examinations will be completely eliminated.
Education and health
This is another area of serious concern in the context of privatisation of education and BJP’s policy of reducing education budget. Any society ridden with poverty and social backwardness, education alone emancipates its people. BJP’s policy of pushing people into backwardness will be fought by doubling the education budget from 3% of GDP to 6%. The government will provide education loans to students at minimum interest rates and it will end the digital divide.
Women empowerment
Like many societies India with its stratified tradition, women suffer the most. Samajwadi Party, with Ambedkar-Lohia ideology strongly believes in fighting for men-women equality besides caste and class. The party prefers to keep women in the forefront of its activities. That’s the reason why Mulayam Singh Yadav fought for women participation in the political leadership based on proportionate to PDA.
The manifesto promises 33% reservation for women without waiting for delimitation. It asserts that women of PDA will be given participation in proportion to their population. It also talks of Monthly pension of Rs 3000 to women below the poverty line and free education from KG to PG for girls. It stands for zero tolerance for crimes against women and nationwide helpline will be made available.
Labour welfare, Industry, micro enterprise
LPG policies of BJP government have given way to massive privatisation of public sector units, Infrastructure and resources. Labour has suffered mostly because of new labour laws giving up welfare and security of the employed. Therefore, the party declared through vision document that privatisation of central and state public sectors will be stopped. The minimum wage will be increased and the old pension scheme (OPS) will be restored.
Special focus on development of micro sector of MSME and special schemes will be made for weaver community. Public convenience centers will be incentivised through e-governance at the village level and Lohia housing scheme will be initiated.
Rural development and economy
‘Smart Village Clusters’ will be established across the country. Infrastructure, green technology, alternate power grid, education and health care are also promised in the document of people’s power.
Targeted policies will be made for universal development so that per capita income can be improved.
Modern cities with state-of-the-art facilities and engines of growth will be built.
Besides them Forest and Environment, Tourism and Transportation have also been discussed in the Samajwadi manifesto.
Defence and foreign policy
Samajwadi party has been concerned about welfare and dignity of the armed forces. It has promised abolition of Agniveer policy. The rights paper said, regular recruitment in the armed forces will be started once again. The party is committed for the indigenisation of defence sector. The safety and sovereignty of the nation will be protected in every situation.
Prof S Simhadri is the State President of Samajwadi Party Telangana
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