I n the swirling currents of Indian politics, where rhetoric often drowns substance, the Congress party’s manifesto for the 2024 elections marks a return to core principles while seeming to be a departure from the quagmire of opportunism and tactical manoeuvres. But, as commented upon by experts in these columns, it appears to genuflect at the altar of social justice without quite spelling out how some of its ambitious schemes will be funded. The manifesto, said to have been crafted through the learning from mass contact marches led by Mr Rahul Gandhi, embodies a stark realisation ~ that the governance of India necessitates a fundamental reorientation towards the people.
It boldly confronts the hegemony of the right-wing, which seeks to suffocate the voices of the majority through money-driven control of discourse. Central to the manifesto’s........