New Delhi: The Congress released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday.
It had two distinct sections. The party promised a slew of social welfare schemes including a minimum income guarantee (NYAY) and a separate budget for farmers. On national security, it promised to reduce the presence of the army in Jammu and Kashmir, amend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act to remove immunity for abduction, rape and torture, and scrap the sedition law.
Soon after, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley termed the Congress manifesto “dangerous and unimplementable”, and charged that changing AFSPA and the sedition law were inspired by the ideology of the “tukde-tukde” gang which wants to divide the nation.
How did the media report on the manifesto, and the BJP’s response? What other stories caught their attention?
English channels
NDTV 24X7
In its programme Left, Right and Centre, the channel approached the Congress manifesto story by speaking to one of its architects, former Union minister P. Chidambaram.
Anchor Nidhi Razdan asked him if the “focus was on bread and butter issues”.
Chidambaram replied that “at the ground level 95 out of 100 people are concerned about jobs, farmers’ distress and women’s issues. This is what we heard in consultation and this is exactly the voice of the people of India.”
“The PM is trying to wrench the narrative from our hands – he only talks about national security, Pulwama, Balakot, Pakistan and how the anti-satellite test (ASAT) took place – those are issues on which there is no division in the country,” Chidambaram said
On why the Congress does not want to be drawn into a debate on national security, he said the party knows the issue well and did not allow any attack on Indian soil by Pakistani militants from 2008 to 2014. “The last war was fought under Vajpayee.”
However, this time, Chidambaram said, “We are focusing on real issues, but the PM is running away. He wants to only create a ghost and then slay it.”
India Today
“Cong Sop Opera” was the tagline the channel had with Rajdeep Sardesai’s show. It also ran headlines like “Cong says will scrap sedition” and “Cong ready to review AFSPA in J&K”. These promises, it said, have sparked a row. “Jaitley attacks manifesto” talked about BJP’s retort.
During the show, Congress spokesperson Salman Soz explained what the manifesto was all about. He said: “Modi did not deliver on his promises and the Congress has promised what was needed.”
Times Now
With #CongPollPledge, the channel in its primetime programme Rapid Fire took the position that the Congress manifesto “Will curb Army special power” and “Court separatists for peace”.
Other headlines like “BJP asks: Did Cong consult Pak” and “Will Rahul learn from past” also posed some questions.
Anchor Navika Kumar asked a Kashmiri participant: “What Congress is saying sounds like the manifesto of People’s Democratic Party or National Conference. Do you want complete removal of the army? If you want AFSPA removed then why don’t you arrange for your own security?”
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A right-wing participant jumped in saying “while discussing Jammu and Kashmir they do not even talk about Kashmiri Pandits, they are into minority appeasement.”
Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh questioned why the BJP government, when it was in alliance with PDP in the state, let off the stone pelters. He also added that one such stone-pelter was involved in the Pulwama attack.
The BJP spokesperson countered that his government withdrew security from separatists and the Army gunned down 850 militants.
Republic TV
Through #CongVsNationalInterest, the channel positioned itself. Its headlines like “Total compromise on national security” and “Pro-tukde, anti-Army, pro-criminals” provided the baseline for editor Arnab Goswami’s primetime show.
During the ‘debate’, Goswami said: “Now the issue is simple – this Congress won’t like my saying who they are trying to protect. They want open support for urban naxals, separatists and ‘har ghar say Afzal niklega’ gang. Why does Congress support Yasin Malik?”
Sudhanshu Trivedi of the BJP said the Congress is saying AFSPA should be amended to take away immunity from sexual harassment, torture and abduction cases. “Are they suggesting the Indian Army indulges in these things?” he asked.
Arnab was also heard saying: “Congress is anti-forces.”
Hindi channels
NDTV India
In his programme, anchor Ravish Kumar said, “Congress kay manifesto main Nyay yojana sabse khas (Nyay scheme most significant part of Congress manifesto).”
Discussing the manifesto and promises made by the Congress, Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said: “Today the issue is not whether it the manifesto or the schemes promised are right or not – this election will decide if India remains the way it has been.”
“If the manifesto brings the discussion back to essential issues like welfare of the poor or what needs to be done for them, I welcome it,” he said.
Ravish commented that at a time when “people clap loudest when Hindu-Muslim reference is made in election speeches”, the Congress manifesto has taken the discourse to more basic issues of public welfare.
ABP News
The channel picked up on the use of words like “sanak” being used by the Congress for Modi’s whims in the manifesto and asked if there was really a need for such harsh words.
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It also showed Rahul saying that he would deliver on his promises. “Mera kiya wada mainay kabhi nahin toda (I have never broken my promise).”
The channel took a cynical view of his promises, saying his promises to the farmers in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan had secured the party victory in the last assembly elections. That is why this time, it said, Rahul referred to farmers 26 times in his speech. “Bharat main kisan chhinta (worry for farmers in India) – means 28 crore votes, 343 seats” summed up a headline.
Zee News
In “Ghoshnapatra par chunavi takkar (Political slugfest over a manifesto)”, the channel showed Rahul’s announcements and Jaitley’s retorts on a split frame.
It showed Rahul talk about repealing sedition law and amending AFSPA and Jaitley countering him by saying that divisive forces were at work in the framing of the manifesto.