Warriors of various political parties have thrown themselves into the electoral battle in Haryana. Who defeats whom in the Kurukshetra elections, who will continue to hold power in the state for the next five years and who will have to wait for five years, the people of the state will decide on October 5 through voting through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). To get those who will play the role of ‘Janardan’ on their side, the political parties have also opened the box of promises. A day ago, the Congress released a seven-assurance manifesto and today, on September 19, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also released its manifesto.
If we look at the election manifestos of both the parties, we see four target classes: farmers, wrestlers, youth and the poor. Former Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda, one of the most prominent figures of the Congress in Haryana, said in a special talk with Aaj Tak a day ago, “Our Haryana is only three things – Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan and Jai Pahalwan.” Jai Jawan is related to the Army and the Agniveer conscription plan is a big issue in the Haryana elections. The Congress is attacking the BJP over this and is trying to get the youth on its side through this. Meanwhile, the BJP is now in damage control mode as well.
First, Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Hooda family of spreading false propaganda about Agniveers and claimed that every Agniveers would have a job guarantee. Now the party has also promised this in the BJP manifesto. What does the manifesto between the BJP and the Congress mean for farmers, wrestlers and youth?
What promises have been made to farmers under MSP?
There are rumors that farmers in Haryana are unhappy with the BJP. In the Lok Sabha elections, the party won only five seats and farmers’ dissatisfaction is said to be the main reason behind it. The assembly elections are also being held under the shadow of the 219-day-old farmers’ protest at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. In this context, the Congress played the Kisan card and gave prominence to one of the main demands of farmers – legal guarantee of minimum support price or MSP – in its seven promises.
To address this, the BJP promised to purchase 24 crops at the announced MSP. The Naib Saini government had announced to expand the MSP procurement to 24 crops, but the farmer organizations were not ready to accept this. It was believed that the BJP would go beyond this and make some concrete promises to allay the anger of the farmers, but after the release of the party’s resolution letter, it turned out that these were just speculations.
Whose commitment to the wrestlers?
The Dangal movement was also a big issue in the Haryana elections. WFI wrestlers sat on the altar at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and accused BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, then party MP and then WFI president, of sexually harassing the women wrestlers. Along with Sakshi Malik, two wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, were the leading voices of the movement and have now joined the Congress.
Congress has also nominated Vinesh for Jhurana seat. Congress also linked Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s recent statement to Haryanvi identity and took a dig between sportsmen and Jats, in which he mocked Vinesh for being disqualified before the final of the Paris Olympics. In order to avoid losing votes with those associated with the sports community, the BJP in its resolution letter promised to set up Olympic creches in every district.
Whose youth manifesto says what?
Army jobs are also a feature of Haryana and the Agnivel recruitment drive is one of the biggest issues in the state. Haryana accounts for about 2% of the country’s total population and the state’s share in the army is 10%. The Congress is also constantly pushing the BJP on this front. The Congress is trying to capitalize on the anger of the youth against Agnivel by promising action for drug control in Haryana and appointments to two lakh vacant posts in its pledge.
Meanwhile, the BJP in its manifesto has guaranteed to provide a government job to every Haryanvi Agniveer to control the damage of the Agniveers. The BJP has promised to provide permanent government jobs to two lakh youths without any mistakes and expenses and provide other employment opportunities to five lakh youths with a monthly stipend from the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. The BJP’s resolution letter also promised to build 10 industrial cities along the lines of the Harkhoda IMT and provide special incentives to entrepreneurs to provide employment opportunities to 50,000 local youths in each city.
Cash Benefit Card for Both Women
The Congress promised to provide gas cylinders to women at a price of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 per month. Following the promise of the Congress, the BJP has also gone into aggressive mode to ensure that the party’s vote bank of women, who are considered silent voters, is not destroyed. The BJP in its manifesto promised to give Rs 2,100 per month to women under the Lado Lakshmi Yojana, which is Rs 100 more than the Congress. The BJP’s resolution letter also promised to provide a scooter to every college student from rural areas.
Also read: Farmers organise ‘Justice March’ in Haryana election, whose problems will increase?
Whose OBC manifesto is what?
The Congress, which has been actively demanding a caste census, has made this promise in Haryana as well. The Congress is working on a strategy to create a new voting arithmetic by bringing in Dalits and OBCs along with Jats. To counter the Congress’s caste census move and keep the OBC vote bank intact, the BJP has made three promises in its manifesto. The BJP is offering full scholarships to students from OBC and SC-ST categories to pursue medical and engineering studies in government colleges and loan guarantees of up to Rs 25 lakh and Rs 36 lakh to OBC entrepreneurs. It is promised to set up a separate welfare board for OBC castes.
Also read: Provide permanent job to every Agniveer in Haryana, monthly salary of Rs 2100 to women… BJP promises in resolution letter.
Who made what promises for the poor?
The Congress in its manifesto promised to provide a 100-yard plot of land and a two-bedroom house worth Rs 3.5 lakh to the poor. The Congress also promised to increase the pension for old age, disabled and widows to Rs 6,000. The BJP in its manifesto promised to provide 5 lakh houses in both rural and urban areas and increase social pension on the basis of a scientific DA-pension-linked formula.
Also read: Provide women with Rs 2,500 cylinders every month… Congress letter of assurance for Haryana elections
Other commitments
The Congress in its manifesto promised free electricity up to 300 units and free treatment facilities up to Rs 25 lakh. Meanwhile, under the Viva Ayushman Yojana, the BJP promised free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh to every family and separate free treatment facilities up to Rs 5 lakh for senior citizens above 70 years.
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