Cong lists 3 quotas within quotas,one as a promise,two as ideas

On economically backward minorities in the state,the party said the aim would be make the sub-quota “commensurate with their population” but did not give details beyond that. But it promised to ensure timely implementation of the UPA’s policy for 4.5 per cent reservation for the backward within the minorities,which has been put on hold by the Election Commission in the states going to polls.

“We will explore the idea of having a sub-quota for ati-dalits,the most oppressed within our Scheduled Castes,to give them more opportunities in government jobs and educational institutions,” read the manifesto,which was released by party leaders Salman Khursheed and Kapil Sibal in the presence of Sam Pitroda,technology adviser to the Prime Minister and of late the party’s OBC face.

The Congress,which has been criticising the Mayawati government for constructing memorials from public funds,has proposed to embark on something similar. It has promised to set up,across the state,“religio-cultural centres for Samajik Sambhav” in the memory of Dalit icons Sant Ravidas,Shiv Narayan,Sant Valmiki,Jagjivan Das,Daria Sahab and Nishad Raj Guhya”. Rahul Gandhi had visited the Sant Ravidas temple in Varanasi two months ago.

Apart from the potential “sub-quota for ati-dalits” in government jobs and educational institutions,other sops promised for SC/STs,OBCs and minorities include “free legal aid to all rural SCs,who are faced with cases related to land,house and property related disputes”,a revamp of Dalit hostels,and an additional Rs 10,000 to every SC/ST girl on her marriage.

The party also promised to ensure that 25 per cent of the procurement by the UP government would be from enterprises owned by SC/STs,OBCs (especially most backward classes) and minorities. This would be in addition to the existing “preferential procurement policy” of the UPA government.

The promises include an interest-free loan without collateral for “any girl student,or student from BPL,SC,ST and OBC community” and “a special mission to provide quality residential schools for poor children belonging to SC/ST communities”.

The manifesto promised to pursue the case for political representation for nine Scheduled Tribes,including Kols,Majhis,Korwas,Kuraus,Dhangars,Gonds,Panikas,in elected bodies from panchayat to Vidhan Sahba and Lok Sabha levels.

Criticising the Mayawati government for corruption,the party promised to “facilitate a complete and thorough CBI investigation into the charges of corruption in National Rural Health Mission” as well as “MNGREGA” and also appoint a “health ombudsman” for proper implementation of such schemes.

Like the BJP,the Congress too has promised to bring the Chief Minister under the purview of the Lokayukta,besides instituting a “code of ethics for all civil servants,ministers,MLAs and MLCs to adhere to the moral standards”.

On the issue of fragmenting UP,the Congress was cautious. It has maintained only that “if Congress comes to power then it will ask the Centre to appoint a second reorganisation commission” as creating a new state is a “complex issue”.

Countering BJP’s vision of a Ram temple in Ayodhya,the Congress stressed an “equitable solution to the Babari Masji dispute”,saying all parties must abide by the verdict of the courts.