DMK has chosen to give its “freebie mantra” a miss and returned to its roots
The party also demanded full implementation of Mandal commission
Chennai: The DMK on Tuesday released its 100-point manifesto for the April 24 Lok Sabha poll, reiterating its commitment to the cause of Tamils besides harping on its core progressive ideology. In its manifesto, highlights of which the party president M. Karunanidhi read out at Anna Arivalayam on Tuesday, the DMK assured to press the Centre to facilitate the conducting of a UN-supervised referendum among Tamils in northern and eastern Sri Lanka and migrated Eelam Tamils to find a permanent political solution of their choice.
Urging the Centre to press Lanka on the implementation of the 13th amendment as interim relief, the DMK also sought appointment of qualified Tamils as envoys to nations where Tamils lived in considerable number. Sparing a fair deal of space for its pet Sethu Shipping Canal project, the party promised to urge the Centre to create a congenial atmosphere for the speedy implementation of the project that would bring enormous development to south Tamil Nadu and the country.
The retrieval of Katchatheevu, another idea discussed at the party’s conference in Trichy, got due importance with the party assuring to take serious steps to get the Centre to withdraw its affidavit filed in the Madras high court, forfeiting TN fishermen’s rights on the islet. The DMK also allotted space for social justice and empowerment of women and Dalits.
The DMK has chosen to give its “freebie mantra” a miss and returned to its roots in the manifesto released here on Tuesday for the April 24 Lok Sabha polls. The DMK stuck to its progressive-rationalist ideology, focussing mainly on social justice, women, child and dalit empowerment among others.
It was the DMK, which set the freebie trend in the 2006 assembly polls by promising and also delivering free TVs to all. Perhaps influenced by the election commission’s new rule that mandates political parties to cite the revenue source for tall promises, the DMK cleverly avoided any mention of freebies and gave its rationalist ideology a go.
Dedicating the first 20 odd pages for social justice and women empowerment, the DMK manifesto began with reservation in private jobs followed by caste-base census and continued with promising to get tough punishment to those committing gender crime.
The party also promised to make efforts to provide free education up to college-level to women deserted by their husbands and girl children without support depending on their annual income. It also assured to continue to urge the Centre to demand 30 per cent reservation for women in Central government jobs. The DMK manifesto also did well in allotting sizeable space to child welfare by promising to press for formulation of special policy and schemes for protect children aged 12-18 through education, welfare, nutrition related schemes.
While demanding full implementation of Mandal commission recommendation for OBCs and filling backlog vacancies on the social justice front apart from promising to press for priority for SC/STs in Supreme Court judge appointment, the DMK also promised to urge the Centre for establishing Samathuvapurams nationwide.
Amendment of the Hindu Marriages Act and recognition of all self-respect marriages across the country and acceptance of Ranganath Misra commission recommendation for providing reservation for Muslims were a few examples of party’s commitment to its social justice principles. The fishermen’s issue was given its due space with the party promising to urge Centre to form a separate fisheries ministry and a national commission for fishermen’s welfare.
On the scientific front, the party said it would strive to set up the third rocket launch pad in Kulasekarapattinam and liquid propulsion systems centre at Mahendragiri.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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