Congress, BJP manifestos
Price rise non-issue for parties
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 18 — The spiralling prices of essential commodities, which continue to affect the electorate, seems to be a non-issue if the manifestos of the two major political parties, the BJP and Congress, released for the coming assembly elections, are any indication.

Both parties have maintained a stoic silence in their respective manifestos about this major issue and they do not lay down any concrete proposals to weather the crisis.

While the Congress has expressed concern over the unprecedented rise in the price of onion, it has, however, evaded making a concrete election promise to control the spiralling prices.

"A Congress government will be ensuring especially food items, at reasonable prices and improving transport system", the party manifesto said, adding that "the public distribution system will be improved and expanded to ensure supply good quality essential commodities at reasonable prices".

The ruling BJP, on the other hand, has completely skirted the issue of price rise in its manifesto. It makes an indirect reference to it by mentioning its desire to strengthen the PDS, bring about consumer rights awareness and construct warehouses.

The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sushma Swaraj, on the other hand, at her campaign rallies has also been blaming the "adverse weather conditions" for the prevailing crisis.

However, the DPCC president, Ms Sheila Dikshit, has blamed hoarders and black-marketeers and the "maladministration" of the BJP for the crisis.

Attracting the Sikh voters in the Capital seems to be a major issue and both the parties have pledged to take action against the culprits of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The Congress manifesto commits itself to taking "appropriate action" against all those found guilty in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The BJP, on the other hand, promises that the 1984 riot victims will be given enhanced compensation soon and the culprits will be brought to book.

The Congress manifesto promises to accord official status or official use for specified purpose in administration, education and information to Urdu and Punjabi and encourage schools to arrange teaching in different languages.

All linguistic groups will be ensured facilities on the lines of Urdu, Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi and Sindhi languages, it adds.

The BJP promises that Punjabi will be given the status of the second language. "Punjabi language teachers will be recruited as per their requirement and the vacant posts of the Punjabi teachers will be filled," the manifesto states.

The Congress manifesto, giving details of the steps the party will take to improve the law and order situation, says civil defence committees will be reactivated, proposals for a special women's police force and for augmenting the police force in the Capital will be taken up.

Blaming the "confrontation" between the Chief Minister and the Police Commissioner as a major factor behind the growing insecurity, the manifesto says that this state of affairs will be ended if the party is voted to power.

Banking on the grant of full statehood to Delhi, the BJP states that the situation will improve once the law and order subject is brought under the jurisdiction of the state government. It also promises to strengthen the police force with personnel and equipment and improving their living conditions.

On women’s issues, the BJP has categorically promised that it will provide capital punishment for rapists, the Congress has underlined the need for special women force to look after the security of women and tackle gender-based crimes.

Both parties have promised to increase the power generation capacity in the Capital and to augment the water treatment plants to meet the needs of the people.

On the question of statehood, the BJP seems to indicate that all woes will be resolved once the land and law and order subjects are transferred to the state government. The Congress is, however, non-committal on this issue by stating that it will study the proposal before taking any view.

The Congress manifesto says it will take early and drastic action to end the "present chaos" in the transport system and promises to set up a unified Delhi Transport Authority to ensure coordination of the DTC road-building agencies and the Railways.

On the other hand, the BJP promises measures to improve traffic conditions, including the construction of an express highway on the periphery of Delhi so that traffic outside Delhi may not enter the city and building of 50 flyovers, 100 underground subways, cycle lanes and footpaths.

On the housing sector, the Congress says it will approach the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Governments to augment area for housing.

The BJP says that to ease the housing crisis in the Capital, the Centre will be urged upon the rescind the Urban Ceiling Act.

While the BJP is promising to make Delhi the "best administered state in the country", the Congress is committing itself to making "Delhi once again the proud and prosperous Capital of the country."

Whose promises sways the electorate will be known only after the November 25 polling.