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Congress manifesto no different from SP, BJP's
The Congress has come up with a flurry off tempting promises for the minorities, backward classes and Dalits of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly elections. The Congress manifesto released here on Tuesday emulates manifestoes of the Samajwadi Party and the BJP in making lip-smacking promises to the people, though it did not go as far as promising free or highly subsidized tablet and laptop computers to students as done by the SP and the BJP.
“We have plans to educate the poor and deprived, train them and give them jobs. We don’t promise tablets and laptops as we want to be close to reality and not in the dream world that other parties are selling in their manifestoes,” said Union law minister Salman Khursheed, who is chairman of the Congress party’s manifesto cell.
Union Minister Kapil Sibal, advisor to the prime minister on public information infrastructure & innovations Sam Pitroda and UP Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi were present at the manifesto release ceremony at the party office here. The manifesto was released simultaneously at 10 places in UP.
The Congress has promised a sub-quota/reservation for socially and economically backward minorities in UP commensurate with their population. The party has been in trouble on this issue after Khursheed’s promise at a public rally where he promised that minorities would get a sub-quota of nine per cent if the Congress was voted to power. The Election Commission (EC) had issued notice to Khursheed to explain as such a promise by a Union minister could be violative of the EC’s model code of conduct.
The party manifesto, however, doesn’t mention any such figure. Questioned on this count, Khursheed tried to clarify that he had never promised a nine per cent sub quota to minorities. “We have only said that we would implement the 4.5 per cent quota declared by the UPA government, and if voted to power, we would give a sub quota to backward minorities on the basis of their population,” he said. “We will know the precise figure of their population only after the current census is over. Then, we will take a decision,” he added.
Promising more to minorities, the manifesto says the Congress would promote minority education and skill development by setting up new schools, recruitment of minority teachers, scholarships and vocational training.
The Congress has also made fancy promises to the OBCs, Most Backward Castes (MBCs) and the ati-Dalits, the lowest in the social strata among Dalits. The party promises that it would “explore” the idea of a sub-quota for ati-Dalits.
The Congress promised to launch the UP Skills and Employment Mission under which 20 lakh youth will be trained and given jobs in five years. The party also promised better law and order and corruption-free good governance.
The Congress has come up with a flurry off tempting promises for the minorities, backward classes and Dalits of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly elections. The Congress manifesto released here on Tuesday emulates manifestoes of the Samajwadi Party and the BJP in making lip-smacking promises to the people, though it did not go as far as promising free or highly subsidized tablet and laptop computers to students as done by the SP and the BJP.
“We have plans to educate the poor and deprived, train them and give them jobs. We don’t promise tablets and laptops as we want to be close to reality and not in the dream world that other parties are selling in their manifestoes,” said Union law minister Salman Khursheed, who is chairman of the Congress party’s manifesto cell.
Union Minister Kapil Sibal, advisor to the prime minister on public information infrastructure & innovations Sam Pitroda and UP Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi were present at the manifesto release ceremony at the party office here. The manifesto was released simultaneously at 10 places in UP.
The Congress has promised a sub-quota/reservation for socially and economically backward minorities in UP commensurate with their population. The party has been in trouble on this issue after Khursheed’s promise at a public rally where he promised that minorities would get a sub-quota of nine per cent if the Congress was voted to power. The Election Commission (EC) had issued notice to Khursheed to explain as such a promise by a Union minister could be violative of the EC’s model code of conduct.
The party manifesto, however, doesn’t mention any such figure. Questioned on this count, Khursheed tried to clarify that he had never promised a nine per cent sub quota to minorities. “We have only said that we would implement the 4.5 per cent quota declared by the UPA government, and if voted to power, we would give a sub quota to backward minorities on the basis of their population,” he said. “We will know the precise figure of their population only after the current census is over. Then, we will take a decision,” he added.
Promising more to minorities, the manifesto says the Congress would promote minority education and skill development by setting up new schools, recruitment of minority teachers, scholarships and vocational training.
The Congress has also made fancy promises to the OBCs, Most Backward Castes (MBCs) and the ati-Dalits, the lowest in the social strata among Dalits. The party promises that it would “explore” the idea of a sub-quota for ati-Dalits.
The Congress promised to launch the UP Skills and Employment Mission under which 20 lakh youth will be trained and given jobs in five years. The party also promised better law and order and corruption-free good governance.
