SHILLONG: The Congress’s election manifesto received mixed reactions with a section of the voters doubting the party’s commitment to fulfilling the promises.
The Congress in its manifesto has promised to review the controversial AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Acts) that gives unprecedented power to security forces in disturbed zones like Jammu & Kashmir and some parts of the North East. However, NGOs in Meghalaya say political parties often make promises during elections.CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said every political party makes promises and at the end people have to suffer after the election. Kharshiing added that if the Congress really wanted to review the AFSPA, “why they did not do it when they were in power for a long time”. Thma U Rangli Juki member Angela Rangad said the Congress’s manifesto looks like a “people’s manifesto at one level”.According to her, many civil societies and groups have already highlighted many of the issues mentioned in the manifesto.
“We are hopeful that it won’t just be stuck as a manifesto point. It looks as if they have been listening to what has been said on the ground by the people, people’s movements and groups,” she said. As for the 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, Rangad said the issue has been hanging fire since the time of the Congress and the BJP governments. She expressed hoped that this time it would not just be a manifesto talk-shop. On amendment to AFSPA and sedition law, Rangad said the need is to scrap them altogether. “Sedition and AFSPA, there is no point to look into it or amend it, they have to be scrapped.”
On the other hand, she said “right to health and right to housing” are important. While raising concern over the culture of mob lynching and casual violence, Rangad said, “Congress is not an angel when it comes to such things.”
She added that the Congress has to make itself categorically clear on such casual violence.