New Delhi: The Congress has in its poll manifesto guaranteed that it will “operationalise” the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) — the “unfinished agenda of the 2008 reforms” of the then UPA government — within one year if it comes to power.
NATGRID is the country’s master intelligence database for counter-terrorism and is already functional, while the NCTC was proposed as a federal anti-terror agency in India which serves as the central bank for known and suspected terrorists and terror groups.
Adding teeth to its common refrain that the BJP uses central agencies at will, the Congress manifesto released Friday further stated that when the party comes to power, it would ensure that the police, investigation and intelligence agencies function in “accordance with (the) law”.
The country’s principal opposition party also signalled that probe agencies would be brought “under the oversight of Parliament or the state legislatures, as the case may be”.
Additionally, the party promised to end “weaponisation” of laws, “arbitrary searches and seizures” and “indiscriminate arrests, third-degree methods, prolonged custody, custodial deaths, and bulldozer justice”.
The manifesto for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections said: “In the last five years, every section of the people has lived in fear; laws and investigating agencies have been weaponised to intimidate people; and through its words and actions the BJP and its affiliates have spread hatred among people belonging to different religious, language and caste groups.”
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Hate speeches & mob lynching
In its manifesto, the Congress has asserted it would take a firm stand against hate speeches, hate crimes and communal conflicts.
“According to NCRB data, crimes against women, SC, ST and minorities have increased. We will identify the perpetrators of such crimes as well as their sponsors and punish them in accordance with law,” the manifesto read.
The party has said it was strongly opposed to “extra-judicial illegal measures like mob lynching, police-encounter killings and bulldozer justice”.
“We will stop them immediately and punish the perpetrators in accordance with law,” the manifesto said.
The Congress has also assured voters it would enact laws to ensure the principle of “bail is the rule, jail is the exception” in all criminal laws.
Drugs, prison reforms & CAPF reservation for women
The party has vowed to bring about prison reforms in order to make jails places of rehabilitation, reform and correction.
Further, the party claimed it would work with state governments to “build, train and equip the State police forces” to maintain law and order situations without “fear or favour”.
In its manifesto, the Congress mentioned that ports were being used for smuggling drugs, assuring that “regulatory and penal provisions will be strengthened, and drug smugglers and traffickers, and their accomplices”.
Moreover, the party has also said the strength of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would be “augmented and modernised”.
“Our goal is that 33 percent of these forces will be made up of women. The Service Rules will be revised and updated. The forces will be deployed having regard to the needs of training, rest and recuperation. We will fill the vacancies in the CAPF and achieve the full sanctioned strength,” the manifesto read.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)