PROMISES GALORE IN CONGRESS'S 'NYAY PATRA'

Focus on 5 pillars of justice-Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Kisaan Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay - and 25 guarantees.

- ANAND SINGH

With a fortnight away from the first phase of elections, the Congress on Friday released the manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and promised to new GST 2.0, filling 30 lakh I vacancies in government, and a national caste census among the major highlights.

The Congress manifesto, ti:tled 'Nyay Patra' was released in the presence of party chief - Mallikarjun Kharge and se- nior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and P Chidambaram.

Party's manifesto focused on five "pillars of justice" (Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Kisaan Nyay, Shramik Nyay I and Hissedari Nyay) with 25 guarantees under.

Releasing the manifesto, Chidambaram a former union Finance Minister underlined the party's view on the state of country under the - ruling BJP, and asserted that democracy has been diminished in the country under the saffron party's rule.

In its manifesto, the Congress said that if voted to power it will conduct a nation-wide socio-economic caste census to "enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions".

It further said that based on the data it will strengthen the agenda for affirmative action.

The grand old party said that it will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC categories.

The Congress said that it will respect and uphold the fundamental right to practice one's faith and the rights guaranteed to religious minorities under Articles 15, 16, 25, 26, 28, 29 and 30 of the Constitution.