As five
states go for assembly polls in Feb-March, the phrase 'Post Truth' has gained
currency in the post-demonetisation era in the world's largest democracy.All
eyes will be riveted on TV screens on March 11, two days ahead of the riot of
colours-–Holi-- to find out whose Truth or Post Truth triumphed.
The term was
in circulation in a big way during the United States elections and referendum
on Brexit. Driven by its popularity and common use during these two
international events, Editors introduced the word in the Oxford
dictionary. A large number of media houses and digital platforms had
used the word extensively.
Narratives of political scenario in India and the internationally famous Jaipur Literature Festival had detailed discussions on the word.
Many opine that the word is not relevant in the Indian context, but tongues wag otherwise. Most attributed Republican Donald Trump's victory in US to the fierce campaign based on the post truths, but the same yardsticks may apply in India, too, as parties, promising moon and stars, turn dream merchants . If they win, they will have to deliver on these high sounding promises otherwise their triumph will be scripted as “Post Truth fired Victories”.
This is an adjective relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief . In this era of post truth politics, it is easy to
cherry pick data and come to whatever conclusion you desire.
In the Tenth Edition of the JLF( Jaipur Literature festival), arguing in the spirited debate on the Post truth, speakers were of the opinion though the term has created a buzz in the recent past, but it was in vogue earlier also. Lies and propaganda were always the cornerstones of the politics. In the run-up to the US elections, the fake news, according a study, were shared millions of times and public opinion was built up.
Prasoon Joshi, a renowned poet and ad guru, said ideas were all ways framed on emotions and beliefs otherwise there would not be a society. Many argued that world is heading for the post truth era where truth is irrevelant and narratives once the social media shape the opinion. Social media boxes and platforms are real warehouses of the post truth .
A large number of whatsup messages,striking smart phone screens like an avalanche, were promoting orchestrated campaigns both in favour of any ideology or against leaving users perplexed. Such campaigns tag leaders with sobriquets.
During the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections, terms such as 'Ghar Wapsi', 'Award Wapsi' were used in a big way and, many feel, influenced the outcome, leaving others stunned.
In many elections, people play upon emotions highlighting the post truth to lodge their victories at the hustings.
During the election campaign, there is so much post truth based propaganda but manifestos are not a bundle of false promises and winners had to stick to their agenda of governance as public keep track of records rather than be swept away by the post-truths packed whisper campaigns or on social media handles.
(The Constitution under Article 324 mandates the Election Commission, to conduct elections inter alia to the Parliament and the State Legislatures. Having due regard to the directions of the Supreme Court and after consultation with the Political Parties, the Commission, in the interest of free and fair elections, hereby directs that Political Parties and Candidates while releasing election manifestos for any election to the Parliament or State Legislatures, shall adhere to the following guidelines :- (i) The election manifesto shall not contain anything repugnant to the ideals and principles enshrined in the Constitution and further that it shall be consistent with the letter and spirit of other provisions of Model Code of Conduct. (ii) The Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution enjoin upon the State to frame various welfare measures for the citizens and therefore there can be no objection to the promise of such welfare measures in election manifestos. However, political parties should avoid making those promises which are likely to vitiate the purity of the election process or exert undue influence on the voters in exercising their franchise. (iii) In the interest of transparency, level playing field and credibility of promises, it is expected that manifestos also reflect the rationale for the promises and broadly indicate the ways and means to meet the financial requirements for it. Trust of voters should be sought only on those promises which are possible to be fulfilled.
The Supreme Court in its judgment dated 5th July 2013 in SLP(C) No. 21455 of 2008 ( S. Subramanian Balaji Vs Govt. of Tamil Nadu and Others) had directed the Election Commission to frame guidelines with regard to the contents of election manifestos in consultation with all the recognised political parties. The principles which will lead to framing of such guidelines are quoted below from the judgment:- (i) ''Although, the law is obvious that the promises in the election manifesto cannot be construed as ‘corrupt practice’ under Section 123 of Representation of the People Act, the reality cannot be ruled out that distribution of freebies of any kind, undoubtedly, influences all people. It shakes the root of free and fair elections to a large degree (ii) The Election Commission, in order to ensure level playing field between the contesting parties and candidates in elections and also in order to see that the purity of the election process does not get vitiated, as in past been issuing instructions under the Model Code of Conduct. The fountainhead of the powers under which the Commission issues these orders is Article 324 of the Constitution which mandates the Commission to hold free and fair elections. (iii) We are mindful of the fact that generally political parties release their election manifesto before the announcement of election date, in that scenario, strictly speaking, the Election Commission will not have the authority to regulate any act which is done before the announcement of the date. Nevertheless, an exception can be made in this regard as the purpose of election manifesto is directly associated with the election process).''
Various parties issued manifestos for the ongoing polls Many political observers feel that promises made in the manifestos raise doubts about availability of resources to meet torrents of freebies.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the key border state of Punjab in its agenda of governance,if voted back to power, promised a slew of initiatives which will make agriculture a sustainable profession, revolutionise rural infrastructure, create 20-lakh jobs for youth, establish mega complexes for industry and provide succour to the poorest of the poor.
The manifesto, which was released by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal , crowed, "jo keha so kar dikhaya.We have delivered what we have promised earlier be it making the state power surplus, introducing unique welfare schemes like atta-daal and shagun, to providing 100 percent water and sewerage facilities in 165 towns across the state. We are similarly committed to delivering on the promises made today". It also committed itself to waiving off farm debts of all small farmers.
The alliance Government would also give a state fertiliser input incentive of Rs 100 per quintal on both wheat and paddy as an additional support to farmers over and above the minimum support price (MSP). All small farmers will also be eligible for a Rs 2-lakh interest-free agriculture crop loan. Besides this, the Government will provide tubewells to all farmers irrespective of the land holding and free and regular 10-hour day time power supply for farm operations.
Farm labourers
will also be compensated in case of damage to crops due to natural
calamities."We have provided clean drinking water and sewerage facilities
in 165 towns. Now we will do the same in all 12,000 villages besides making
cemented streets and putting up solar lights." He said besides this a one
stop shop which will dispense atta dal, medical clinic and Sewa kendra will be
opened in villages. All link roads will be made 18 feet wide. He asserted that
the Akali-BJP alliance was also committed to skilling 10 lakh youth in 25,000
centres with each one catering to five villages.
Those doing the skill courses will be eligible for Rs 10 lakh interest free loan. The alliance BJP-SAD Government will also facilitate 50,000 youth to acquire taxis without down payment and soft loans. "We will give government employment and also create jobs in tourism and industrial sectors to reach the 20 lakh job promise," he said.
The SAD president said ameliorating the lot of the weaker sections was a cornerstone of SAD-BJP philosophy. "The welfare of weaker sections is closest to our hearts. We have accordingly decided that all kutcha houses will be made pucca and the houseless would be given jobs."
He said in another important decision it was decided that economically backward among general category citizens will also be eligible for all social welfare schemes meant for SC/BC categories. It had been decided to increase all welfare pensions from the present Rs 500 per month to Rs 2,000 per month. Shagun Scheme will be raised from Rs 15,000 to Rs 51,000. A new initiative to give five kg sugar @ Rs ten per kg and two kg ghee @ Rs 25 per kg would also be implemented.
Free gas connections will also be given to all blue card holders. Medical treatment to blue card holders, small farmers, petty traders and construction workers would be raised to Rs one lakh per annum. Stating that controlling crime and continuing the fight against drugs was a top priority for the Akali-BJP alliance,
Mr Badal said CCTV cameras would be installed on all entry and exit points of villages and cities to check crime. He said a special border area force would be constituted to form a second line of defence and check infiltration.Rehabilitation centres would be upgraded and new policy of incentivisation to encourage addicts to leave drugs would be initiated.
Mr Badal said in the next five years the entire walled city would be given a world class heritage look. He said other heritage and religious towns would also be taken up for a heritage makeover. Their Government would take steps to regularise all unauthorised colonies at a nominal price. He said there would not be any tax on CSD to benefit ex servicemen. Big infrastructure projects which would be taken up in the next five years would include super expressway linking Jalandhar and Ajmer Sharif and new express alignment between Amritsar and Delhi, he added.
The SAD president also made it clear that presently Punjab did not have land or water for construction of the SYL canal. "We have returned the land on which the canal stood back to the farmers from whom it was acquired. The SYL canal cannot be constructed under any circumstances now. ''
The newbie, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), contesting the polls on full steam promised to make Punjab farmers debt-free by December 2018 and create 25 lakh jobs for unemployed youth, besides making the state drug-free within one month.
AAP campaign committee chairman Bhagwant Mann and Dialogue Committee Convener Kanwar Sandhu while releasing the manifesto said agriculture, trade, industry, health, education, welfare of SC, BC and employment generation are core issues on which AAP Government would focus.
Mr Mann said besides waiving off the debt of farmers, they will be paid compensation for crop damage at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre. A compensation of Rs 10,000 would also be given to farm labourers if crop failed or damaged. He said Sir Chhotu Ram Act of 1934 on farm debts would be implemented and those farmers had paid interest more than the loan amount would be deemed as paid. The ahrtiyas would not be allowed to charge interest more than bank rates.
He said drug mafia would be smashed with an iron hand. All political or non-political players involved in the drug trade would be behind bars within one month. The de-addiction process of addicted youth would be completed within six months.
Mr Mann said youth would be given ample opportunities for rehabilitation in government, industry, transport and mining sectors which would be opened for public participation. He said that 25 lakh job opportunities would be created.
He added that an SIT would be formed to probe all 95 cases of sacrilege and police firing on innocent Sikhs protesting against sacrilege at Behbal Kalan and guilty would be brought to book, adding that an exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of crime would be ensured.
Welfare pension for old age people, widows and handicapped persons would be hiked from Rs 500 to Rs 2,500 per month.
Ensuring trade and industry to boost the business, the AAP leader said inspector Raj would be abolished besides introducing reforms in tax structure, adding that sick industry would be revived in all industrial towns. The Dialogue Committee Convener said AAP had released six manifestos for various sections. For the first time manifesto on handicapped, youth, employees, farmers, Dalits and trade were released.
He said the manifesto was an agreement with the people, adding that property tax on residential properties would be waived off and the power tariff up to 400 units for domestic consumers would be halved.
Mr Sandhu said farmers would continue to get free power, adding that government schoolchildren of 9th class will be given laptops. Every primary school would have minimum five teachers, 29,000 vacancies of teachers would be filled soon and another about 30,000 new posts would be created.
Every village would have ‘Pind Clinic’ and every urban area would have’ Mohalla Clinics on Delhi pattern. Three medical colleges and degree colleges in unrepresented areas would be opened, he added.
He also said sports culture would be developed in the state.
Mr Sandhu said AAP will open ‘Aam Aadmi’ canteens at sub -division and district level where one time meal will be available for Rs 5 only.
AAP has also decided to launch a health insurance scheme under which every resident of state would be eligible for cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakhs in private hospitals, adding that Jan Lok Pal and Human Rights Commission would be given more teeth to provide corruption free government and also to maintain human rights of public.
The Dialogue Committee Convener said investigating all sacrilege cases and giving exemplary punishment to the guilty is another priority of AAP.
Mr Sandhu said they have promised with the employees to implement 6th pay commission fully and revive the old pension scheme which was discontinued by previous Capt Amarinder Singh Government.
All contract employees direct or through outsourcing would be regularised. He said that women will get 33 percent reservation in government jobs. The AAP leader said the ex-servicemen will get 13 per cent reservation in jobs and gallantry award winners who are waiting for their award of land or money in lieu of land would be compensated immediately. He said that SC, ST commission would be given more powers.AAP manifesto also promises to give holy city status to Sri Amritsar and Sri Anandpur Sahib, which were neglected by SAD-BJP government despite the historical and religious importance.
Congress, which appears all set to wage a tough fight to take power reins, has expressed confidence that the party, under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh, will undo the damage wreaked on Punjab by the Badal government.
Pointing to the tremendous potential of Punjab, which remained unexploited due to the Badals’ misgovernance over the past 10 years, former Prime Minister and Congress veteran Dr Manmohan Singh said the state badly needed Captain Amarinder’s leadership at this juncture.
He said Congress manifesto for the state is a forward looking visionary document which promises the people that we will undo the damage done to the Punjab economy by the State Government in the last ten years.
''The fiscal situation in Punjab under the SAD-BJP Government has been mismanaged in a manner which is unprecedented. Capt Amarinder's Government will undo all this damage and set a new pathway for a better tomorrow which will see that people will have a higher per-capita income, better distribution of income, better employment prospects and better infrastructure,''Dr Singh said.
Among those present at the launch event were AICC general secretary Ambika Soni, Party incharge for Punjab Asha Kumari and AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala, besides former Punjab Chief Minister and Manifesto Committee chairperson Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
In a first, the comprehensive 120-page manifesto was simultaneously launched by state party leaders Manpreet Singh Badal in Chandigarh, Maharani Preneet Kaur in Patiala, Sunil Jakhar in Bathinda, Vijay Inder Singla in Ludhiana, Dr. Amar Singh in Jalandhar and Rana Gurjit Singh in Amritsar.
The manifesto was released in both English and Punjabi in online soft format.
In most populous UP, the ruling Samajwadi Party, staking claim to retain power in in the Assembly elections in the state, has showered a series of sops in the manifesto for the people, focusing on the 50 percent women voters and announcing several schemes of development.
Free pressure cooker to poor women and Rs 1000 per month to 10-million poor under the Samajwadi Pension, along with 50 percent subsidy to women in the Government buses, were among sops announced in Samajwadi Party poll manifesto for the key Hindi heartland state.
The SP manifesto was released by party president Akhilesh Yadav, in the absence of his father and now party's patron Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The manifesto also promised free bicycles (election symbol of the party) to all girls studying from class 9 to 12, solar table lamps to meritorious girl students of rural areas, construction of working women hostels in the cities, free e-rickshaws to all women, subsidised rate interest on loan to women, fast track court and women police in every district to deal with women atrocities. Besides, the Government will hike the award under Rani Laxmi Bai Scheme and give Rs two lakh gift on the weddings of orphan and handicapped girls and widows, along with a house.
The SP has also promised to increase the monthly pension under the Samajwadi Pension scheme to Rs 1,000 from Rs 500 per month and the number of beneficiaries would be doubled to 10 million.The SP Government, in order to protect the children from malnutrition, would provide one litre of Desi ghee and one kg of powder milk to the students of government primary schools.
Besides, a family bazar would be opened at the tehsil level and Samajwadi sports schools and old age homes in every district. Amid applause by the youths chanting 'Jai Akhilesh- Jai Akhilesh' and chaos by the rank and file during the function, the youthful CM said that SP Government would only follow the ideology of secularism and socialism.
The manifesto promised the farmers would be given subsidy in the interest on their Kisan Credit Cards, while now animals would be provided emergency treatment and a separate ambulance service would be introduced for them.
In the education sector, all the colleges and universities will have free wi-fi and girl students would get special bus service, besides Samajwadi Abhinav Vidyalaya would be set up.
In the health sector, the party Government will provide free treatment of all disease to a family, who have less than Rs 1.5-lakh income per year, while cardiac ambulances would be provided at the block level.
''Then no one can stop you from making a Government for five years," he said. For the minorities, the SP has announced to provide skill training to the youths, so they can get good jobs, while all financial assistance would be given to the minority educational institutions.
Around one lakh new small business for the minorities would be created during the five year tenure, while the SP Government will ensure representation as per their population in every sector.
Further strengthening its bond with the Muslims, the SP manifesto promises free e-rickshaws to the poor Muslims while the old scheme of ' Padhe Betia, Barhe Betia' would be relaunched.
An international level library would be set up at the Mohammed Ali Jauhar Unversity in Rampur while the Shia and Sunni Waqf Board would be given more powers. A Haj house will also be constructed in Varanasi.
In the infrastructure sector, two new greenfield expressways would be constructed connecting Bundelkhand and Nepal while to promote environment, Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi would be connected with Cycle Highway.
In the power sector the SP poll manifesto promises 24-hour power in the rural areas and all the non-electrified villages would be electrified. Allahabad, Varanasi, Bareilly, Hindon, Moradabad and Agra would have river-fronts and all the districts will have Upvan parks.
For the lawyers, the SP has also opened its heart with announced monthly financial help to young
advocates, Rs 10-lakh compensation to the death of any lawyer under the age of 60 years, group housing for their families and construction of lawyer chambers in a big way in all the courts.
The SP has also promised hike in the honorarium of chowkidars, homeguards,and PRD jawans.All Government vacancies would be filled through transparent manner and all the Government services would be made online.
Holding the district officials responsible for the exodus of people due to communal tension, banning of illegal and mechanical slaughter houses and the UP government will be the party in the 'Triple Talaq' issue, were some of the issues raised in the poll promises by the BJP, which clearly describe the intention of the party to woo the majority community in the elections, particularly in the first two phases of polling in western UP.
Waiver of farmers' loans, interest-free loan to small and marginal farmers, free laptops and data for all youths of the college and several sops for the youths and women were included in the poll manifesto.
BJP national president Amit Shah released the ' Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra' here in the presence of senior party leaders, union ministers and workers.
The manifesto promised that girls would be given free education up to graduate level. Boys would get free classes up to XII standard and if they get 50 per cent marks in the intermediate then their education would be free up to graduate. Besides all the jobs in the state would be 90 per cent reserved for the state youths while in five years, 70 lakh new jobs would be created in the state.
Laying thrust on the law and order issue, the BJP has promised that 1.5 lakh posts of the policemen would be filled up on the basis of merit while to prevent exodus due to communal tension, there would be special department in the police while every district will have a deputy collector level officer.
Special task force would be set up to prevent illegal mining, land grabbing and other corrupt practices, the manifesto added. The 24-page document also mentioned about giving Garib Kalyan card and cashless system for the poor at all the hospitals. Besides, one crore poor families would be given subsidised Rs 6 lakh loan to purchase houses.
The Bharatiya Janata Party document also promises to extend the facilities provided by the present Samajwadi Party government like strengthening the Dial 100 and 102 and 108 ambulances services while they will expedite the metro works in the cities.
In the infrastructure sector, the BJP, if it came to power, promised 24 hours of power and free LPG connections.
The party, wooing the women in the state, has also promised to hand over Rs 50,000 on the birth of a girl child to a poor family and the girl would get Rs 2 lakh when she attains the age of 21 years. Three women police battalions would be raised while every district would have three women police stations, the manifesto said.
'Anti- Romeo' teams would be formed which will keep track of the eve-teasers near the girls college while a squad of 1,000 women officers would be formed to probe into the women atrocities cases. A total 100 fast track courts would also be set up to expedite the cases.
The party also announced to set up 25 new medical colleges in the state along with 6 AIIMS besides medical stores would be opened for distributing generic medicines.
Firebrand politician and former state Chief Minister, BSP supremo, Ms Mayawati has made it clear that fair governance with thrust on law and order control will be her party’s top priority.
Former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia released the manifesto of Congress in Goa's Panjim .
The manifesto promises a kg of wheat at Rs 2, rice at Rs 3 and sugar at Rs 7 for people living below poverty line, launch of minimum support price for agriculture and horticulture produce, fish and poultry to make essential food items affordable to the middle class, provide free water and free electricity to all the people living below poverty line, reduce water and electricity tariffs for domestic consumers to pre-2012 rates. It also offers scrapping of BJP's entry tax for out-of-state vehicles transporting foodgrains, vegetables, fruits, fish and poultry and other perishable products into the state, introduction of canteens providing subsidised food to the needy and ensuring moblie or telecome connectivity all across Goa.
The party has promised to confirm services of people serving for more than five years in government or government- affiliated semi-autonomous and autonomous bodies on merit-cum-fitness basis, to pursue judicial and constitutional provisions to ensure voting rights for overseas Goan citizens and dual citizenship, provision of universal healthcare to all Goans that would include free medicines and free healthcare, overall investment in education, upholding of dignity of beneficiaries of government schemes, restoration of mining by incorporating entire recommendation of Supreme Court of India and to bring services under the Time Bound Delivery of Public Services Act, 2013.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced that if it came to power in Goa it would ensure continuation of the Dabolim airport for civilian traffic.
Releasing final election manifesto, party state convenor and chief ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes said, ''AAP government will ensure continuation of the Dabolim airport for civilian traffic and render all assistance for the upgradation and expansion of Dabolim airport. We will investigate Mopa project for speculative private land deals of more than 50 lakh square meter around Mopa, specially by politicians.''
AAP will investigate proposed casino and gaming zones and what kind of jobs will really be created for locals as promised while acquiring land.'' The Goa government has proposed to develop greenfield airport at Mopa in Pernem taluka in North Goa district. However, the project has international airport which is commonly known as Dabolim Airport. It operates as a civil enclave in a military airbase.
Manifestos packed with promises for good governance were also released in other poll bound states of Manipur and Uttarakhand where Congress and BJP have locked horns in straight fights in most of the constituencies.
Parties released manifestos in all the poll bound states, but it is to be seen how many promises are met by the elected government given the financial constraints.
Those doing the skill courses will be eligible for Rs 10 lakh interest free loan. The alliance BJP-SAD Government will also facilitate 50,000 youth to acquire taxis without down payment and soft loans. "We will give government employment and also create jobs in tourism and industrial sectors to reach the 20 lakh job promise," he said.
The SAD president said ameliorating the lot of the weaker sections was a cornerstone of SAD-BJP philosophy. "The welfare of weaker sections is closest to our hearts. We have accordingly decided that all kutcha houses will be made pucca and the houseless would be given jobs."
He said in another important decision it was decided that economically backward among general category citizens will also be eligible for all social welfare schemes meant for SC/BC categories. It had been decided to increase all welfare pensions from the present Rs 500 per month to Rs 2,000 per month. Shagun Scheme will be raised from Rs 15,000 to Rs 51,000. A new initiative to give five kg sugar @ Rs ten per kg and two kg ghee @ Rs 25 per kg would also be implemented.
Free gas connections will also be given to all blue card holders. Medical treatment to blue card holders, small farmers, petty traders and construction workers would be raised to Rs one lakh per annum. Stating that controlling crime and continuing the fight against drugs was a top priority for the Akali-BJP alliance,
Mr Badal said CCTV cameras would be installed on all entry and exit points of villages and cities to check crime. He said a special border area force would be constituted to form a second line of defence and check infiltration.Rehabilitation centres would be upgraded and new policy of incentivisation to encourage addicts to leave drugs would be initiated.
Mr Badal said in the next five years the entire walled city would be given a world class heritage look. He said other heritage and religious towns would also be taken up for a heritage makeover. Their Government would take steps to regularise all unauthorised colonies at a nominal price. He said there would not be any tax on CSD to benefit ex servicemen. Big infrastructure projects which would be taken up in the next five years would include super expressway linking Jalandhar and Ajmer Sharif and new express alignment between Amritsar and Delhi, he added.
The SAD president also made it clear that presently Punjab did not have land or water for construction of the SYL canal. "We have returned the land on which the canal stood back to the farmers from whom it was acquired. The SYL canal cannot be constructed under any circumstances now. ''
The newbie, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), contesting the polls on full steam promised to make Punjab farmers debt-free by December 2018 and create 25 lakh jobs for unemployed youth, besides making the state drug-free within one month.
AAP campaign committee chairman Bhagwant Mann and Dialogue Committee Convener Kanwar Sandhu while releasing the manifesto said agriculture, trade, industry, health, education, welfare of SC, BC and employment generation are core issues on which AAP Government would focus.
Mr Mann said besides waiving off the debt of farmers, they will be paid compensation for crop damage at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre. A compensation of Rs 10,000 would also be given to farm labourers if crop failed or damaged. He said Sir Chhotu Ram Act of 1934 on farm debts would be implemented and those farmers had paid interest more than the loan amount would be deemed as paid. The ahrtiyas would not be allowed to charge interest more than bank rates.
He said drug mafia would be smashed with an iron hand. All political or non-political players involved in the drug trade would be behind bars within one month. The de-addiction process of addicted youth would be completed within six months.
Mr Mann said youth would be given ample opportunities for rehabilitation in government, industry, transport and mining sectors which would be opened for public participation. He said that 25 lakh job opportunities would be created.
He added that an SIT would be formed to probe all 95 cases of sacrilege and police firing on innocent Sikhs protesting against sacrilege at Behbal Kalan and guilty would be brought to book, adding that an exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of crime would be ensured.
Welfare pension for old age people, widows and handicapped persons would be hiked from Rs 500 to Rs 2,500 per month.
Ensuring trade and industry to boost the business, the AAP leader said inspector Raj would be abolished besides introducing reforms in tax structure, adding that sick industry would be revived in all industrial towns. The Dialogue Committee Convener said AAP had released six manifestos for various sections. For the first time manifesto on handicapped, youth, employees, farmers, Dalits and trade were released.
He said the manifesto was an agreement with the people, adding that property tax on residential properties would be waived off and the power tariff up to 400 units for domestic consumers would be halved.
Mr Sandhu said farmers would continue to get free power, adding that government schoolchildren of 9th class will be given laptops. Every primary school would have minimum five teachers, 29,000 vacancies of teachers would be filled soon and another about 30,000 new posts would be created.
Every village would have ‘Pind Clinic’ and every urban area would have’ Mohalla Clinics on Delhi pattern. Three medical colleges and degree colleges in unrepresented areas would be opened, he added.
He also said sports culture would be developed in the state.
Mr Sandhu said AAP will open ‘Aam Aadmi’ canteens at sub -division and district level where one time meal will be available for Rs 5 only.
AAP has also decided to launch a health insurance scheme under which every resident of state would be eligible for cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakhs in private hospitals, adding that Jan Lok Pal and Human Rights Commission would be given more teeth to provide corruption free government and also to maintain human rights of public.
The Dialogue Committee Convener said investigating all sacrilege cases and giving exemplary punishment to the guilty is another priority of AAP.
Mr Sandhu said they have promised with the employees to implement 6th pay commission fully and revive the old pension scheme which was discontinued by previous Capt Amarinder Singh Government.
All contract employees direct or through outsourcing would be regularised. He said that women will get 33 percent reservation in government jobs. The AAP leader said the ex-servicemen will get 13 per cent reservation in jobs and gallantry award winners who are waiting for their award of land or money in lieu of land would be compensated immediately. He said that SC, ST commission would be given more powers.AAP manifesto also promises to give holy city status to Sri Amritsar and Sri Anandpur Sahib, which were neglected by SAD-BJP government despite the historical and religious importance.
Congress, which appears all set to wage a tough fight to take power reins, has expressed confidence that the party, under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh, will undo the damage wreaked on Punjab by the Badal government.
Pointing to the tremendous potential of Punjab, which remained unexploited due to the Badals’ misgovernance over the past 10 years, former Prime Minister and Congress veteran Dr Manmohan Singh said the state badly needed Captain Amarinder’s leadership at this juncture.
He said Congress manifesto for the state is a forward looking visionary document which promises the people that we will undo the damage done to the Punjab economy by the State Government in the last ten years.
''The fiscal situation in Punjab under the SAD-BJP Government has been mismanaged in a manner which is unprecedented. Capt Amarinder's Government will undo all this damage and set a new pathway for a better tomorrow which will see that people will have a higher per-capita income, better distribution of income, better employment prospects and better infrastructure,''Dr Singh said.
Among those present at the launch event were AICC general secretary Ambika Soni, Party incharge for Punjab Asha Kumari and AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala, besides former Punjab Chief Minister and Manifesto Committee chairperson Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
In a first, the comprehensive 120-page manifesto was simultaneously launched by state party leaders Manpreet Singh Badal in Chandigarh, Maharani Preneet Kaur in Patiala, Sunil Jakhar in Bathinda, Vijay Inder Singla in Ludhiana, Dr. Amar Singh in Jalandhar and Rana Gurjit Singh in Amritsar.
The manifesto was released in both English and Punjabi in online soft format.
In most populous UP, the ruling Samajwadi Party, staking claim to retain power in in the Assembly elections in the state, has showered a series of sops in the manifesto for the people, focusing on the 50 percent women voters and announcing several schemes of development.
Free pressure cooker to poor women and Rs 1000 per month to 10-million poor under the Samajwadi Pension, along with 50 percent subsidy to women in the Government buses, were among sops announced in Samajwadi Party poll manifesto for the key Hindi heartland state.
The SP manifesto was released by party president Akhilesh Yadav, in the absence of his father and now party's patron Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The manifesto also promised free bicycles (election symbol of the party) to all girls studying from class 9 to 12, solar table lamps to meritorious girl students of rural areas, construction of working women hostels in the cities, free e-rickshaws to all women, subsidised rate interest on loan to women, fast track court and women police in every district to deal with women atrocities. Besides, the Government will hike the award under Rani Laxmi Bai Scheme and give Rs two lakh gift on the weddings of orphan and handicapped girls and widows, along with a house.
The SP has also promised to increase the monthly pension under the Samajwadi Pension scheme to Rs 1,000 from Rs 500 per month and the number of beneficiaries would be doubled to 10 million.The SP Government, in order to protect the children from malnutrition, would provide one litre of Desi ghee and one kg of powder milk to the students of government primary schools.
Besides, a family bazar would be opened at the tehsil level and Samajwadi sports schools and old age homes in every district. Amid applause by the youths chanting 'Jai Akhilesh- Jai Akhilesh' and chaos by the rank and file during the function, the youthful CM said that SP Government would only follow the ideology of secularism and socialism.
The manifesto promised the farmers would be given subsidy in the interest on their Kisan Credit Cards, while now animals would be provided emergency treatment and a separate ambulance service would be introduced for them.
In the education sector, all the colleges and universities will have free wi-fi and girl students would get special bus service, besides Samajwadi Abhinav Vidyalaya would be set up.
In the health sector, the party Government will provide free treatment of all disease to a family, who have less than Rs 1.5-lakh income per year, while cardiac ambulances would be provided at the block level.
''Then no one can stop you from making a Government for five years," he said. For the minorities, the SP has announced to provide skill training to the youths, so they can get good jobs, while all financial assistance would be given to the minority educational institutions.
Around one lakh new small business for the minorities would be created during the five year tenure, while the SP Government will ensure representation as per their population in every sector.
Further strengthening its bond with the Muslims, the SP manifesto promises free e-rickshaws to the poor Muslims while the old scheme of ' Padhe Betia, Barhe Betia' would be relaunched.
An international level library would be set up at the Mohammed Ali Jauhar Unversity in Rampur while the Shia and Sunni Waqf Board would be given more powers. A Haj house will also be constructed in Varanasi.
In the infrastructure sector, two new greenfield expressways would be constructed connecting Bundelkhand and Nepal while to promote environment, Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi would be connected with Cycle Highway.
In the power sector the SP poll manifesto promises 24-hour power in the rural areas and all the non-electrified villages would be electrified. Allahabad, Varanasi, Bareilly, Hindon, Moradabad and Agra would have river-fronts and all the districts will have Upvan parks.
For the lawyers, the SP has also opened its heart with announced monthly financial help to young
advocates, Rs 10-lakh compensation to the death of any lawyer under the age of 60 years, group housing for their families and construction of lawyer chambers in a big way in all the courts.
The SP has also promised hike in the honorarium of chowkidars, homeguards,and PRD jawans.All Government vacancies would be filled through transparent manner and all the Government services would be made online.
Holding the district officials responsible for the exodus of people due to communal tension, banning of illegal and mechanical slaughter houses and the UP government will be the party in the 'Triple Talaq' issue, were some of the issues raised in the poll promises by the BJP, which clearly describe the intention of the party to woo the majority community in the elections, particularly in the first two phases of polling in western UP.
Waiver of farmers' loans, interest-free loan to small and marginal farmers, free laptops and data for all youths of the college and several sops for the youths and women were included in the poll manifesto.
BJP national president Amit Shah released the ' Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra' here in the presence of senior party leaders, union ministers and workers.
The manifesto promised that girls would be given free education up to graduate level. Boys would get free classes up to XII standard and if they get 50 per cent marks in the intermediate then their education would be free up to graduate. Besides all the jobs in the state would be 90 per cent reserved for the state youths while in five years, 70 lakh new jobs would be created in the state.
Laying thrust on the law and order issue, the BJP has promised that 1.5 lakh posts of the policemen would be filled up on the basis of merit while to prevent exodus due to communal tension, there would be special department in the police while every district will have a deputy collector level officer.
Special task force would be set up to prevent illegal mining, land grabbing and other corrupt practices, the manifesto added. The 24-page document also mentioned about giving Garib Kalyan card and cashless system for the poor at all the hospitals. Besides, one crore poor families would be given subsidised Rs 6 lakh loan to purchase houses.
The Bharatiya Janata Party document also promises to extend the facilities provided by the present Samajwadi Party government like strengthening the Dial 100 and 102 and 108 ambulances services while they will expedite the metro works in the cities.
In the infrastructure sector, the BJP, if it came to power, promised 24 hours of power and free LPG connections.
The party, wooing the women in the state, has also promised to hand over Rs 50,000 on the birth of a girl child to a poor family and the girl would get Rs 2 lakh when she attains the age of 21 years. Three women police battalions would be raised while every district would have three women police stations, the manifesto said.
'Anti- Romeo' teams would be formed which will keep track of the eve-teasers near the girls college while a squad of 1,000 women officers would be formed to probe into the women atrocities cases. A total 100 fast track courts would also be set up to expedite the cases.
The party also announced to set up 25 new medical colleges in the state along with 6 AIIMS besides medical stores would be opened for distributing generic medicines.
Firebrand politician and former state Chief Minister, BSP supremo, Ms Mayawati has made it clear that fair governance with thrust on law and order control will be her party’s top priority.
Former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia released the manifesto of Congress in Goa's Panjim .
The manifesto promises a kg of wheat at Rs 2, rice at Rs 3 and sugar at Rs 7 for people living below poverty line, launch of minimum support price for agriculture and horticulture produce, fish and poultry to make essential food items affordable to the middle class, provide free water and free electricity to all the people living below poverty line, reduce water and electricity tariffs for domestic consumers to pre-2012 rates. It also offers scrapping of BJP's entry tax for out-of-state vehicles transporting foodgrains, vegetables, fruits, fish and poultry and other perishable products into the state, introduction of canteens providing subsidised food to the needy and ensuring moblie or telecome connectivity all across Goa.
The party has promised to confirm services of people serving for more than five years in government or government- affiliated semi-autonomous and autonomous bodies on merit-cum-fitness basis, to pursue judicial and constitutional provisions to ensure voting rights for overseas Goan citizens and dual citizenship, provision of universal healthcare to all Goans that would include free medicines and free healthcare, overall investment in education, upholding of dignity of beneficiaries of government schemes, restoration of mining by incorporating entire recommendation of Supreme Court of India and to bring services under the Time Bound Delivery of Public Services Act, 2013.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced that if it came to power in Goa it would ensure continuation of the Dabolim airport for civilian traffic.
Releasing final election manifesto, party state convenor and chief ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes said, ''AAP government will ensure continuation of the Dabolim airport for civilian traffic and render all assistance for the upgradation and expansion of Dabolim airport. We will investigate Mopa project for speculative private land deals of more than 50 lakh square meter around Mopa, specially by politicians.''
AAP will investigate proposed casino and gaming zones and what kind of jobs will really be created for locals as promised while acquiring land.'' The Goa government has proposed to develop greenfield airport at Mopa in Pernem taluka in North Goa district. However, the project has international airport which is commonly known as Dabolim Airport. It operates as a civil enclave in a military airbase.
Manifestos packed with promises for good governance were also released in other poll bound states of Manipur and Uttarakhand where Congress and BJP have locked horns in straight fights in most of the constituencies.
Parties released manifestos in all the poll bound states, but it is to be seen how many promises are met by the elected government given the financial constraints.
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