Congress' Pro-People Agenda Promises a New Deal for the Youth, Women, Workers, Farmers, and the Backward Classes

Nearly two months after Rahul Gandhi introduced “Paanch Nyay”, or Five-Pillars of Justice, as the theme behind Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Congress has now unveiled the “Paanch Nyay: Pachees Guarantees” as its electoral plank ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. The Paanch Nyay focuses on crucial promises for Youth, Women, Workers, Farmers, and the Backward Classes. After years of pro-corporate agenda of the Modi Government, Congress' pro-people plank is a breath of fresh air for a nation reeling under crises of unemployment, inequality, and injustice. Paanch Nyay further provides a narrative for uniting struggles of various classes, and provides a vision for a pro-people politics in India.

The Paanch Nyay (Five Justices) entails Yuva Nyay (Justice for Youth), Naari Nyay (Justice for Women), Shramik Nyay (Justice for Workers), Kisaan Nyay (Justice for Farmers), and Hissedaari Nyay (Justice of Participation). Nyay or Justice was the watchword behind the 6,700 km Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which traversed across the breadth of the nation, from Manipur to Mumbai. Social, Economic, and Political Justice, is an idea which emerged from India's freedom struggle, and is enshrined in our Constitution.

Congress had previously termed the 10 years of Modi Government — marked with rising unemployment, inequality, discrimination, corruption, hatred, and injustice — as Anyay Kaal (Age of Injustice). The party released a black paper titled “10 Saal Anyay Kaal” to discuss the various social, economic and political injustice which has beset the nation. The paper described rampant unemployment, economic blunders, farm distress, neglect of the workers, betrayal of the backward classes, injustice against women, social disharmony, subversion of the institutions, compromise with the national security, MODANI Raj, as various injustices prevailing under the Modi Government. The Paanch Nyay, in this context, seeks to address these injustices.

Yuva Nyay seeks to address the unemployment crisis in India. In 2014, Narendra Modi had come to power with a promise of generating two crore jobs annually. Instead, by 2019, unemployment had reached a 45-year-high. Today, youth unemployment stands at over 40%. Meanwhile, over 30 lakh sanctioned government posts are lying vacant. Policies like Agnipath have further exacerbated the crisis. Youth are driven to suicide and to take up high risk jobs in war zones. The prized demographic dividend is turning into a disaster. Meanwhile, the regular paper leaks have further demoralized the job aspirants. The rise of an unregulated gig economy has led to exploitation of the youth.

Yuva Nyay promises to fill up the sanctioned seats and end paper leaks in government exams. It promises a guaranteed first job with a Germany-like apprenticeship scheme. It promises a reform in the gig economy to protect the workers from exploitation. It further promises a start-up fund at district-level to encourage job creation.

Naari Nyay seeks to address the lack of representation of women and gender disparity in the workforce. India has an abysmal female labour force participation rate, and is ranked 127th out of 146 countries in the Gender Gap Index. Naari Nyay promises 50% horizontal reservation for women in the government jobs, and hostels for working women. It promises doubling of salary of ASHA, anganwadi and MDM workers, who have been protesting for better wages. It further promises a financial grant for women in poor households, and legal aid for women in every gram panchayat.

Shramik Nyay seeks to address the issue of employment, wages, and social security for the workers. The ten years of Modi Government has been marked with rampant privatization and casualization of government jobs. Regular employment is shrinking, while wages have remained stagnant. Unpaid labour is on a rise. Shramik Nyay promises right to health and social security for the workers. It promises an end to the casualization of labour in the government departments, and increasing the minimum wage for MGNREGA workers. It further promises an urban employment guarantee act, a long-standing demand of the workers.

Kisaan Nyay seeks to address the issue of farmers beset with rising costs and declining incomes. Modi government had come to power with a promise of minimum support price and doubling the income of farmers. Instead, over the last 10 years, the agricultural income has declined, while the farmer's debt has increased. Each year, more than 10,000 farmers are forced to take their own life. In 2020, when the nation was under lockdown, the Government passed the three anti-farmer laws to force farmers out of their own lands, and turn them into bonded labours. In a struggle against this, 750 farmers lost their lives. Meanwhile, a violent persecution and propaganda against the farmers continues to this day.

Kisaan Nyay promises a legal guarantee of minimum support price as well as establishing a commission for farm loan waiver. It promises reforming the crop insurance scheme, the import-export policy, and the GST on farm inputs.

Hissedaari Nyay seeks to address the issue of equality and social justice for the backward classes, including SC, ST, OBC, and the adivasis. Over the last 10 years, the social disparity has widened, while the demands for caste census has been ignored by the Modi Government. Violence against dalits and adivasis are on a rise. Meanwhile, forest Law has been amended to facilitate corporate takeover of forests and drive the adivasis off their lands.

The idea of social justice emerged out of India's freedom struggle, and the movements led by Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dr Rammanohar Lohia, Jannayak Karpoori Thakur, among many leaders. Yet, even after seven decades of Independence, the backward classes are deprived of their constitutional right.

Hissedaari Nyay promises a nationwide caste census, and proportional representation for the backward classes. It promises special sub-budget for the dalits and adivasis, and affirming the rights of adivasis over their traditional lands.

The “Paanch Nyay: Pachees Guarantees” brings a pro-people inclusive agenda that can counter the empty rhetoric of “Modi ki Guarantee” and the pro-corporate agenda of the BJP. It places youth, women, workers, farmers, and backward classes, at the centre of the politics. It strives to build a coalition of the bottom of the pyramid. It presents an alternative, not merely a substitute, to the BJP regime.