Congress to back Muslims, Christians; fight under collective leadership

The DK Shivakumar-led Congress on Friday adopted a ‘Karnataka Declaration’ in which the party resolved to “protect” Muslims and Christians while fighting the BJP under “collective leadership”.

The declaration also decided to reserve 50 per cent tickets to leaders aged below 50 in the upcoming local body polls. The party will consider extending this to the 2023 Assembly polls.

The Karnataka Declaration is the result of a 2-day Chintana Shibira the Congress had at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

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“We have decided that the party will fight under a collective leadership to install our government. We will come to power,” Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said.

“The Congress will stand with all classes of people, especially Muslims and Christians who are impacted by the BJP government through constant harassment and false cases,” Shivakumar said.

In many ways, the Karnataka Declaration doubles up as the party’s manifesto for the 2023 elections, comprising of many promises the Congress wants to fulfil if it comes to power.

To woo women, the Congress has decided to reserve 33 per cent of all the posts in every committee. “We will do something similar in our manifesto,” Shivakumar said.

While reserving 50 per cent of all party positions to those aged below 50, the Congress has decided to try this out in tickets. “In the upcoming BBMP, zilla and taluk panchayat elections, 50 per cent of the tickets will be given to people below 50. We will consider this for other elections, too,” Shivakumar said.

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said the Congress has resolved to fight the BJP’s “cultural terrorism”.

“We strongly condemn the false cases on and harassment of Muslims and Christians. In order to protect their interests, Congress will solidly stand with them,” he said.

In other decisions, the Congress wants to introduce a NREGA-like scheme in urban areas and introduce comprehensive reforms to the way government recruitment is done.

The Congress also announced that it will spend ₹2 lakh crore to complete all irrigation projects if it comes to power next year. “This is our commitment…to spend ₹40,000 crore a year for five years to irrigate the lands of our farmers,” Shivakumar said.

The party is coming up with programmes for youth, arts, housing, environment, forest rights and so on.

Organisationally, the Congress will hold elections before June 25 to form new committees starting with the booths. “We will have panchayat committees in rural areas and ward committees in urban areas. These committees will have representation proportional to the population of various castes and social groups,” Shivakumar explained.

The party also promises to introduce reservation in the private sector.

“The Karnataka Declaration document will be out in 2-3 days,” Siddaramaiah said.