Within Cong, a ‘debate’ on class-based quota

On Monday, the CWC decided not to meddle in the Gurjjar agitation demanding inclusion in the ST category.

The idea of reservation for economically poor sections cutting across caste or religious lines was floated at the CWC meeting by senior party leader Satyabrat Chaturvedi, who led a party delegation to strife-torn areas of Rajasthan last week.

According to sources, he told the CWC that any attempt by a political party to support a particular caste would only worsen the situation as many other castes were set to jump into the fray with similar demands. He said the Congress should think of providing reservation on economic criteria, which would also address concerns of present beneficiaries.

Although Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi made no comment on Chaturvedi’s suggestions, the issue has provoked a debate within the party.

“This fits into the party’s plank of aam aadmi. But can you afford to antagonise the castes who are the beneficiaries of the present caste-based reservation system? Forget other political parties, many of our colleagues who kept quiet at the suggestion in yesterday’s meeting will jump on their feet to protest if and when the party leadership seeks their views,” said a CWC member.

The sources said the party needed to finalise a concrete strategy on the issue of reservation as “knee-jerk reactions” like OBC reservation in higher educational institutions were not paying any political dividends as was evident from the recent Assembly election results.

Besides, Mayawati’s social engineering formula involving Dalits and upper castes was cutting into the very base of the Congress, they added. Shortly after taking over the reins of UP, she announced that if the Centre brought any amendment to the law providing for reservation for the poor among upper castes and religious minorities, the BSP will support it.

Congress leaders are apprehensive that agitations by various castes and communities on the issue of reservation will only intensify in coming months.