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A secular, honest and representative govt, promises UF

The United Front promises to provide good governance and a clean administration that would guarantee stability.

The Front manifesto, released at the UF headquarters in New Delhi on Friday, sought the unambiguous mandate of the people for its government, to ensure all-round economic development through good governance, foodgrains for every home, health and literacy for every Indian and schools for all children.

The UF offered a government that would provide stability and security by controlling inflation that continued to erode real income of working people. It promised overall socio-economic developments by combating communalism and sectarian strife and strengthening federalism.

The manifesto said only a governance that imbued with a vision of holistic development can provide relief to the people and advance the interests of the country.

Analysing the political situation, the manifesto said India today was in the midst of a major transition in its economic and political life. The is a period that is crucial to shape the modern vibrant India of the 21st century. This called for unflinching commitment to strengthen the principles of secular democracy, federalism, social justice and self-reliance. In the building of this new India of equality, justice, fraternity and all round socio-economic development, the UF sought the fullest support of the electorate.

The UF reiterated its commitment to strengthen the federal structure of the Indian Union and to advance the principles of political, administrative and economic federalism. The UF government, the manifesto said, had implemented its promises to strengthen the financial base of the states, to prevent misuse of Article 356 of the Constitution and to initiate a process of consultations to suitably amend the constitutional provision.

On secularism, the UF pledged its commitment to uphold the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-linguistic character of Indian society. The Front would strictly implement the protection of the places of worship and 'actively combat all efforts by communal forces to create a fresh disputes in Kashi and Mathura'. The manifesto also promised to resolve the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute at Ayodhya with reference to the Supreme Court judgment or on the basis of a consensus.

The manifesto said the right of freedom of religion as contained in the Constitution would be fully respected and protected and said the personal codes of different religious communities would not be tampered with unless and until consensus emerges for such a change.

In a frontal attack on the Congress, the manifesto said a mid-term poll had been thrust upon the country by that party, but it viewed the election as an opportunity for all patriots to reaffirm their commitment to the pillars of modern India -- a secular democracy, federalism, social justice and self-reliance.

Tracing the events that led to the withdrawal of support to the UF government by the Congress, the manifesto said the UF remained refused to compromise on such a sacred issue as national unity. The Congress condition to drop Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ministers from the Gujral government was rightly rejected as the 'sweeping indictment' of the DMK by the Jain Commission, one that was not sustained by the evidence.

The Commission's ''indiscretion'' in casting outrageous aspersions on the entire Tamil community did not dissuade the Congress from destabilising the government and forcing a snap poll on the nation. The designated court's judgment had 'vindicated' the UF position, the manifesto said.

While precipitating the poll the Congress overlooked its own stated objective of keeping communal forces at bay, it said, adding that the Congress was a state of 'decay and disarray' and was in no position to provide a stable government. Its anti-people policies, its compromising attitude with communal forces and corruption scandals involving many of its leaders had combined to render it incapable of meeting the challenges of facing the country and the people.

Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party, the manifesto said the party, which prided itself on its internal discipline, had been thoroughly exposed after what happened in Gujarat where the BJP lost its government even after obtaining a two-thirds majority in the assembly. This event demolished the party's claim of being able to provide a stable government if voted to power.

The myth of the BJP's value-based politics was exploded in Uttar Pradesh where every defector, including those currently facing prosecution in murder cases, were rewarded with portfolios in Kalyan Singh's jumbo cabinet, the manifesto alleged.

The BJP had abandoned all 'moral pretences' and had embarked on a 'spree of ideology-free alliances'. After ridiculing the 13-party UF coalition as inherently unstable, the BJP itself was seeking a larger coalition with all sorts of 'discredited parties' in its naked pursuit of power, the manifesto claimed.

The UF was alive to the 'core communal agenda' of the BJP and would squarely take on that party in the elections the manifesto promised. The UF would seek the full mandate of the people on the basis of its performance in the government that lasted 18 months, exposing the 'dark designs' of the BJP and the dangerous drift of the Congress.

Referring to the 18-month UF government, the manifesto said it provided a successful alternative model of governance, marked by transparency but with singular freedom from the taint of scams. The composition of the UF government has reflected and represented the cultural diversity and pluralistic nature of Indian society, strengthening of which is mandatory for maintaining unity and integrity of the country, it said.

The UF also said it was committed to grant maximum autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and maintaining of Article 370 of the Constitution and regional autonomy to Jammu and Ladakh regions within this framework.

Pledging to continue with a special economic development plan in the North-East, the manifesto said the UF would conduct negotiations with all those groups advocating separation, while remaining firmly committed to the unity and integrity of the country.

The UF would set up special courts to ensure speedy justice to the backwards, dalits and tribals if ever atrocities were committed against them. The manifesto also promised regional autonomy to compact and contiguous areas inhabited by the tribals. A single window development agency for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes has also been pledged.

On the protection of minority rights, the manifesto claimed the UF would undertake a comprehensive economic package for improving their quality of life. The UF also committed to grant additional reservation to dalit Christians.

Promising a clean administration, the UF said it would set up a Lok Pal and legislate a bill on freedom of information and changes in the Official Secrets Act to ensure transparency in governance.

The UF pledged to initiate electoral reforms by prohibiting criminals from contesting elections and to give material support to political parties.

Stressing on the need of a proper balance in legislative, executive and judiciary, the manifesto said it would take steps to ensure each body could exercise its power free from the influence of the others. The manifesto promised to continue a national judicial commission to appoint judges of high courts and the Supreme Court.

The reports about the nexus between certain politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and criminals would be placed before Parliament for suitable action, the manifesto said.

The UF committed itself to drastic reforms in the police system at the central and state level. It pledged to involve panchayati raj institutions in protection of the environment and to control indiscriminate use of ground water.

Technology vision 2020, as evolved by the Front, would also be implemented, the manifesto said.

The UF would undertake economic development projects with a vision to provide higher standard of living with better quality of life with faster growth and enhanced social justice. The Front would also ensure free movement of agricultural commodities, a five per cent rebate of interest charged on farmer's loans and to set up an agriculture price stabilisation fund.

While continuing with reforms in public sector undertakings, the Front promised to rehabilitate sick PSUs, to expand the domestic market for local industry and to implement land reforms. The Front also committed itself to grant right to employment as a fundamental right, the abolition of child labour and to provide one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

For defence personnel, the UF pledged to establish an empowered national commission for essential reforms in the defence apparatus, implementing the one-rank-one-pension policy for ex-servicemen and ensuring self-reliance in defence.

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