New Delhi,December 24 :Congress sets agenda for UP elections by giving 4.5% quota to minorities from the existing 27% for the OBCs
THE Congress is finally fighting its political opponents with the perennially potent quota weapon.
By the simple, albeit cynical, expedient of announcing religion- based subquotas in jobs and educational institutions along with the insertion of caste and religion- based quota in the Lokpal Bill, the grand old party has overnight shifted the political discourse from corruption to reservation.
The party’s focus is clearly on the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The unexpected manoeuvre has stunned those who arrived on the political scene by nibbling at the Congress party’s traditional vote bank — minorities and backward classes.
By offering reservation to the minorities, the Congress hopes to split the lethal MY ( Muslim- Yadav) combination, the principal factor in the rise of Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh and Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar. The success of the Janata Dal ( United)- BJP combination in Bihar is also owing to the fact that Nitish Kumar has been able to wean away Muslims besides getting the support of OBCs other than the Yadavs.
The immediate aim of carving out a 4.5 per cent sub- quota for minorities within the existing 27 per cent quota for OBCs in central government jobs and educational institutions is, of course, to make inroads in politically- crucial Uttar Pradesh that goes to the polls early next year.
This is the last stroke in a series of pro- minority measures that started with the Centre releasing two huge financial packages for the weavers – a large chunk of whom are Muslims – in UP. Commerce minister Anand Sharma had promptly acted on relief for weavers after receiving a communication to this effect from Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi. The minister recently announced a ` 6,000- crore relief package for weavers.
The decision to have a sub- quota for Muslims within the 27 per cent quota for OBCs in central government jobs and educational institutions has stunned those who depend partly on the Muslims for political sustenance. The Congress is clearly striving to snatch its share from the OBC pie by seeming to empower the minorities. This has caused much discomfiture among the regional satraps. But leaders like Mulayam Singh, Mayawati and Sharad Yadav are forced to tread carefully as they cannot afford to alienate the minorities on the eve of the assembly elections.
Hence, after the initial dilemma, the Samajwadi Party ( SP) and the Janata Dal ( United) started by accusing the government of trying to “ create divisions in the society”. This accusation, however, was preceded by welcoming the move. Instead of opposing reservation for Muslims, they said that the share allotted to them was not adequate.
SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav described this as “ nothing but deception” by the Congress. “ At least 18 per cent reservation should be given. 4.5 per cent means nothing. It should be done according to the population of minorities. This is deception,” Mulayam said. Just to be on the safe side and counter the Congress party’s move, the SP will launch a campaign among minorities in UP against the government’s decision.
On his part, JD ( U) leader Sharad Yadav said the government’s move was “ mischievous”. “ The ongoing caste census and its findings will help for a better understanding of the backwardness of the OBC castes. Let us wait for its findings before making any change in the Central list of OBCs,” Yadav said.