New Delhi: While Congress chief Rahul Gandhi unveiled his vision for India on Tuesday as the Congress released its manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he went to great lengths to appease not just farmers and the youth, but also anti-national elements, Congress’s favourite ‘tukde-tukde’ brigade.

1. Wishing away sedition

In the name of ending “civil violations”, the Congress has promised to “omit Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (that defines the offence of ‘sedition’)” which the party manifesto said had been “misused”.

Remember, the sedition law came into public limelight when a section of extremist students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) commemorated slain Parliament attack terrorist Afzal Guru on the varsity campus and raised the slogan "Bharat tere tukde honge Inshallah!"

This brigade was later christened the ‘tukde-tukde’ brigade and Rahul Gandhi had openly sided with this gang.

They were the once to have been booked under the charge of sedition.

2. A hitjob on NSA

The Congress has also promised to weaken other laws that deal with terrorism and anti-national activities. The National Security Act (NSA) would be the first casualty of the Congress’s promise, buried in a liberal lingo, that it would amend the laws related to detention without trial or preventive detention.

It must be remembered that the Supreme Court had upheld the NSA.

3. Adieu to AFSPA

The party has also promised to amend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 that gives special powers to the Indian armed forces to deal with special situations such as obtaining in Kashmir. In all, a weakened AFSPA would give a free run to terrorists. This promise comes in the backdrop of a huge public outcry after over 40 CRPF personnel were killed on February 12 in a Fidayeen terror attack in Pulwama.

The very same promise is worded in a way that accuses the Indian security personnel of committing “sexual violence and torture” under the aegis of the law. The Congress promised dilution of AFSPA “to remove immunity for enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture”.

4. Toothless probe agencies

The party has also promised to amend laws to break off the teeth of investigative agencies. The manifesto says any probe agency authorised for search, seizure, summons and arrest will be subject to restrictions. It will severely weaken premier agencies like the CBI, ED, IT and NIA.

5. Bail over jail

Lastly, the Congress has promised to “Amend the Code of Criminal Procedure and related laws to affirm the principle that ‘Bail is the rule and jail is the exception’”. It reminds that Rahul Gandhi and his mother UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are out on bail, while his brother-in-law became the most recent family member to be on bail when the latter was granted anticipatory bail on Monday in undeclared foreign assets case.