The Congress on Wednesday promised a new law on hate crimes in its manifesto for UP Assembly elections and announced sops for women, OBCs and minorities. However, the BJP mocked its “silence on the corruption and crime situation” in the State.

The 12-page manifesto condemned BJP’s “anti-poor and anti-people policies”, saying: “Divisive forces run rampant with impunity across the country...To combat these forces our two great parties (SP-Congress) have allied.”

It described its coming together with SP as “an important moment” in the history of the country’s politics.

Noting that the BJP’s “agenda of hatred and divisiveness becomes clearer with every election”, the manifesto pledged to enact a new law on hate crimes to provide enhanced punishment to those who create tension on the basis of caste, gender and religion.

Hours after the Congress released the document at a press conference here, UP BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said the party is “silent” on “corruption, poor law and order situation and illegal mining” in the State.

These are the issues that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had vociferously raised during his Deoria-to-Delhi Kisan Yatra and Khat Sabha, he pointed out.

“What happened to the party (Congress) now? Has it forgotten these issues? Or has it totally surrendered itself before Samajwadi Party, against whose government it was making vitriolic attack until recently?” he wondered.

Replying to a query, AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad objected to the BJP including the issues of triple talaq and Ram temple in its manifesto and demanded that the Supreme Court and the Election Commission initiate action against that party in this regard.

“The BJP is raising disputed issues with the aim to polarise votes in the polls,” he said.

The Congress manifesto vowed to appoint an ombudsman to handle cases of police oppression and set up a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to ensure relief for victims of criminal oppression.

It said the law passed by the erstwhile UPA government will be implemented effectively against anyone guilty of atrocities and crimes committed against women.