Decades down the line, manifestos have been viewed as a reflection of policies of political parties aimed at governance. But year after year failure in implementation of these poll promises has made Manifestos mere ritualistic affairs rather than sacred political texts that may represent their principles for party leadership and goals. These days governance typically diverges from electoral pledges stated in party manifestos.
But for concerned citizens, who believe in democracy and good governance, a manifesto is a measure to analyzepre-poll promises and the delivery of those promises after the formation of government. A well-drafted Manifesto is a virtue but certainly not when Secularism, Constitutional Democracy and Democratic Institutions are under severe threat. As our Constitution’s core institutions and ideals are under unprecedented attack, manifestos of political parties should be designed accordingly.
The degree to which people take political parties’ manifesto promises seriously and the degree to which they are devoted to them are the questions academics and political analysts can answer. A few studies or surveys in this direction can help us determine how people perceive manifestos and what type of influence they have on voting behavior.
The manner manifestoes are designed and the steps taken to fulfillthe promises after assuming power have eroded people’s faith in electoral promises made during elections.
Lack of political will is generally reflected in the manifesto. Verbal promises made during the campaign trail or written promises in the manifesto sound hollow and do not catch people’s imagination unless they are made to believe that they would be delivered at all costs. While the fact remains that the implementation of a manifesto should be the hallmark of the index of good governance.
Why do political parties make all efforts to draft manifestos but do little to fulfillthem? Or, why do they promise what they cannot keep? These are the questions every political party should address. Let political parties make their MLAs and MPs accountable to their constituencies with periodic assessments of their delivery mechanism of the promises made for each constituency in particular and the state and the entire country in general.
As 2024 Lok Sabha polls are going to be a defining moment in the political history of India in many ways, citizens are concerned about the kind of poll promises made ahead of elections. It will be a challenging task for manifesto draft committees of political parties to redesign their policies, keeping in view the challenges India is facing or likely to face after the elections.
Will political parties give due space to issues of minorities? Will they focus on the implementation of Places of Worship Act 1991? Will they talk about Communal Violence Billand any comprehensive national law against Mob lynching, and on the rights of minorities including educational rights of minorities and minority character of minority institutions? Will Congress reiterate on Communal Violence Bill or will choose to ignore under the pressure of age-old appeasement narrative? Will the poll manifestos touch upon the volatile citizenship issue? Will they talk of secularism and pluralism when majoritarianism is in full swing? Will poll promises emphasize the independence of judiciary? Will electoral bonds revelations give requisite space to electoral reforms?
According to Afroz Alam, Professor and Head, Department of Political Science, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, “In addressing the diverse and nuanced needs of minority communities in India, it is imperative that political parties’ manifestos not only acknowledge but also actively propose measures to safeguard their rights, promote social justice, and ensure equitable access to opportunities. In my understanding, the following issues may be considered for inclusion in the manifestos of political parties to address the emerging concerns of minority communities:
- Enforce Anti-Discrimination Laws to protect minorities in jobs, education, and housing.
- Ensure cultural autonomy to support languages, arts and traditions of minorities.
- Launch targeted skill development programs to improve the employability of minority youth.
- Enhance access to credit for minority entrepreneurs, including microfinance and startup funding initiatives.
- Ensure equitable access to quality education for minority children, including scholarships and infrastructure development in minority-concentration areas. Also, develop an education curriculum reflecting the diversity of India’s cultural heritage and promoting mutual respect and understanding among all communities.
- Improve access to healthcare facilities in minority-concentration areas, with a focus on addressing specific health challenges and providing affordable healthcare.
- Implement strict measures to protect minorities from communal violence, hate crimes, and exploitation, with swift legal recourse for victims. Also, provide accessible legal aid to minority individuals and communities, ensure justice, and uphold their rights.
- Improve infrastructure in minority-concentration areas, focusing on roads, electricity, water supply, and internet connectivity to facilitate better living conditions and economic opportunities.
Sabir Ahamed, National Research Coordinator, Pratichi (India) Trust founded by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, said, “Muslims in India have been facing an unprecedented crisis since 2014; we have seen a gradual decrease in the budget for education for Muslims; political parties should make promises for increased funding for education, especially restoration of all national scholarships. One of the recommendations of the Sachar Committee Report was to create access to priority sector lending for Muslims, but state-wise data shows it has also declined. Political manifestoes should promise a renewed interest in loan facilities for Muslims. Political manifestoes should also ensure political participation of Muslims in Parliament and state legislatures.”
“Like everyone else, the Muslim community is also suffering due to inflation and unemployment. For Muslims the main issue is safety and security of life, limb and property;also safety of mosques and madrasas. The Places of Worship Act should be followed in letter and spirit. The community should not be subjected to calls for economic boycott and its members guaranteed freedom of vocation,” said senior journalist and author Ziya Us Salam.