What citizens think of political manifestos
Across manifestos, there are references to what steps and policies will be undertaken to empower women
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha (LS) elections, major political parties have released their manifestos detailing provisions and plans of action if they were to come to power. The manifestos focus on key areas of governance and development while also addressing concerns related to specific communities. Hindustan Times spoke to citizens and representatives of various organisations to know their views on the manifestos launched by different parties.
Across manifestos, there are references to what steps and policies will be undertaken to empower women. The Congress manifesto mentions providing annual financial assistance of ₹1 lakh which will be transferred to the bank account of the oldest woman in the household under the Mahalakshmi scheme. Along with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP), the Congress, too, is looking at providing 50% reservation for women in central government jobs. The Shiv Sena (UBT) manifesto also focuses on job creation, farm loan waiver, and stopping the ‘loot’ of Maharashtra.
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on the other hand has proposed to create three crore women lakhpatis while also empowering women’s self-help groups (SHGs) with skills and tools in the information technology (IT), healthcare, education, retail and tourism sectors. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s manifesto mentions 33% reservation for women in jobs.
Naseem Sheikh, associate programme director, Swayam Shikshan Prayog, a women’s NGO based in Pune, told HT, “Overall reservation and training does not always help. These provisions are not looking at increasing the per capita income of women or their daily income. They are not focusing on ground-level problems that women face like poverty, hunger, health and sanitation and the struggle for land security. They are also not focusing on women belonging to the SC, ST, OBC category. The provisions are too generic. They are a start but need to be more specific to the problems women face.”
{{/usCountry}}Naseem Sheikh, associate programme director, Swayam Shikshan Prayog, a women’s NGO based in Pune, told HT, “Overall reservation and training does not always help. These provisions are not looking at increasing the per capita income of women or their daily income. They are not focusing on ground-level problems that women face like poverty, hunger, health and sanitation and the struggle for land security. They are also not focusing on women belonging to the SC, ST, OBC category. The provisions are too generic. They are a start but need to be more specific to the problems women face.”
{{/usCountry}}For the underprivileged sections, the BJP has proposed upholding the free ration scheme for the next five years while the Congress has promised a nationwide socioeconomic Census and 10% quota in jobs and education for economically weaker sections (EWS) across castes and communities. The NCP (SP) has said it will keep the price of gas cylinders at ₹500 per cylinder while also reducing the price of petrol and diesel. The Shiv Sena has promised stability in prices of essential commodities at least for five years.
Abhimanyu Gavali, a human rights’ activist, responded to these provisions saying, “These won’t work; they haven’t been working at the ground level. What is the benefit to the common man?”
Anant Sardeshmukh, former director-general, MCCIA and director (member of board) for Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL), spoke about the business and economy-based provisions in the manifestos. The Indian economy needs to move towards investing more in manufacturing, he said. “More or less, if you look at the Indian economy and the direction in which we are moving, it has a long-term vision of moving into the global arena as a superpower. We see greater emphasis on this, in both BJP’s manifesto as well as Congress’s. Both are talking about making Indian industry stronger and developing it further by looking at moving towards manufacturing.”
Asked about the agriculture-related provisions, Venky Ramachandra, an agritech analyst at Agribusiness Matters, said, “Manifestos are representative of what voter blocks want. Different farmers’ unions have been lobbying for different things. If you want to vouch for agricultural reforms, you have to ask fundamental questions. What kind of infrastructure are we developing? Why has public spending on agriculture gone down? Any fundamental reforms that you need in agriculture can’t really show up in the manifestos.”
Interestingly, the manifestos have also proposed changes for the LGBTQIA+ community. The BJP has proposed integrating trans individuals into the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and issuing them identity cards that will be recognised nationwide. Congress has proposed recognising civil unions among LGBTQIA+ couples. The NCP (SP) faction has proposed welfare schemes for the LGBTQ community.
Sonali Dalvi, a trans rights’ activist, said, “We are also included in the democracy. We are a part of ‘We the people’ in the Constitution. We only want what is rightfully ours. We want to be able to have a job, get the education we deserve, live the life we want.”
