Congress makes slew of proposals, promises in Plenary Session

Congress charged Modi govt for India witnessing such a 'disastrous situation' of 'fear, hate and intimidation'

Laws against hate crimes, discrimination and mass defections, revisiting the issue of dual citizenship for overseas Indians in "sympathetic spirit", funding parties during elections, reorienting tax policy towards employees and wages and personalised diplomacy giving way to collective decision-making are among a slew of proposals and promises made in the resolutions on political, economic and international placed in Congress Plenary here on Saturday.

The resolutions were virtual chargesheets on the Narendra Modi government and what the Congress felt is wrong with the way the country is being ruled.

In its political resolution, the Congress charged the Modi government for India witnessing such a “disastrous situation” of “fear, hate and intimidation” in the past eight and half years.

Promising to “liberate” the country from its “present agony and darkness” and “heal the wounds” created by “divisive forces”, the party has promised to bring laws against hate crimes and discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, gender and language in housing, hostels, hotels, clubs etc.

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The Congress also proposes to amend the Constitution to eliminate “mass defections”, alleging that the BJP has “engineered mass defections, purchased legislators and thus toppled democratically elected government after government”.

To replace “fatally flawed and fully corrupt” electoral bonds, Congress is suggesting a National Election Fund and during elections, funds will be allocated to parties using transparent and fair criteria laid down by law.

Congress is also taking up the EVM issue once again with the resolution saying that the integrity of elections needs to be restored and the party will work for the widest possible consensus with like-minded parties to take up the issue with the Election Commission and go to court if there is no response.

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Amid “misuse” of laws to harass critics, journalists, politicians, academics and others and curtailing their freedom of speech, Congress is promising a comprehensive review of laws and repeal all laws that are “outdated, unjust or unreasonably restrict freedom of people”. It did not mention any specific law but its 2019 manifesto had promised to repeal the sedition law.

The standoff between the government and Supreme Court over judicial appointments also found mention in the resolution with the Congress saying that independence and integrity of the judiciary will be maintained and protected “at all costs”. it said, “unfortunately, the Law Minister (Kiren Rijiju) himself is leading the blatant attack on the judiciary”.

The economic resolution was critical of the way in which the Modi government handled the country’s economy, especially unemployment and price rise and called for a “re-set of economic policies”. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the liberalisation of 1991 had run its course and there is a need to redefine themselves.

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Congress is proposing a new economic vision and action that “recrafts” the “current obsession with capital and moves more towards labour”. Every decision will be evaluated with what it brings to people in terms of jobs, incomes, healthy living standards and livelihoods, it said.

“We believe that India needs a new industrial, trade, capital and labour policy framework to achieve this. Creation of jobs should be the primary benchmark for evaluating all policy options, not mere production,” the resolution said.

“Tax policy should be reoriented towards employees and wages, besides investments and profits,” it added.

The resolution on international affairs said that the BJP has "unfortunately" squandered the multiple advantages it had by neither preserving nor pursuing the spirit of India’s foreign policy.

Apparently taking objection to Modi's personalised diplomacy, the resolution said if India is to remain a significant power pole in today’s multi-polar world, our foreign policy needs to be principled, have coherence and a futuristic vision. Additionally, it must be conducted with gravitas, and not in a personalised manner. The Congress Party, therefore, commits to restoring the principle of collective decision-making, it said.

Accusing the BJP of diminishing diaspora engagement to a transactional arrangement, the resolution said it commits to re-establishing the Ministry of Overseas Indians. The Congress also commits to spearheading an NRI Invest Scheme to establish a single point of contact for NRIs to invest in India. The Congress also undertakes to revisit the issue of dual citizenship for overseas Indians in a sympathetic spirit, the resolution said.

In an apparent reference to the latest Adani Group issue, the resolution said the BJP government has "unfortunately" turned a blind eye to crony capitalists manipulating markets, currencies and financial institutions, and leveraging tax havens to rig the Indian market. The Congress Party commits to bringing more transparency and regulations to manage global financial and stock markets, it added.

"The Congress Party will also strengthen the National Security Advisory Board, provide a statutory basis to the body, appoint experts from different disciplines and ensure that it will function as a permanent, professional body advising the NSC and the government. Concomitant reforms that the Congress commits include ensuring the offices of the NSA and NSCS, as well as the agencies under them, become more accountable," it added.