Cong committed to enact central law for SC, ST sub plan: AICC resolution

Ahmedabad, Apr 9 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday said it remains steadfast in its commitment to enact a central law for the SC/ST sub plan and guarantee budgetary allocations in accordance with their population.

The party also asserted that the fundamental guarantee given under Article 15 (5), introduced by the Congress on January 20, 2006, of reservation for OBCs, SCs and STs in private educational institutions must be implemented without delay.

It said the constitutionally guaranteed foundation of social justice can only be strengthened and carried forward by a nationwide caste census.

The party made the assertions in its 'Nyaypath' resolution adopted at the AICC session held here on the banks of the Sabarmati river.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, general secretaries K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh among other senior leaders, participated in the session themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh".

The resolution was adopted after day-long deliberations with a show of hands.

The Congress dedicated a section in the resolution on social justice, asserting that it forms its "ideological core".

"We firmly believe that no nation or society can truly progress by leaving behind the oppressed, the marginalised, and the backward communities. This is the foundation for the constitutional provisions of reservations," the resolution said.

The Congress alleged that over the last decade, the reality of the ruling party is that the SC/ST sub plan and its budgetary allocation has been "dismantled".

"Similarly, the arbitrary ceiling of 50% cap on reservations and lack of Census has denied the rightful dues of OBCs, SCs and STs. Even the OBC reservation in private educational institutions has been denied," the party said.

All this proves the "anti-SC, ST and OBC mindset" of the ruling BJP, it alleged.

"The inhumane atrocities committed against Dalits, Adivasis and Backwards are increasing at an alarming rate of 13% annually. Leaders of the ruling party have themselves been found complicit in multiple such instances of atrocities," it claimed.

The resolution further alleged that progressive laws enacted by the Congress ?such as the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996; the Forest Rights Act, 2006 ?are being "deliberately weakened".

The constitutional provisions under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, which safeguard the special rights, cultural identity, traditions and 'way of life' of tribal communities are being systematically decimated, it claimed.

The Congress asserted that it remains steadfast in its commitment to enact a Central law for the SC/ST Sub Plan and guarantee budgetary allocations in accordance with their population.

"We reiterate the enduring commitment of removal of the arbitrary 50% ceiling on reservations for justice to OBC's, SCs and STs. The Congress reaffirms that the fundamental guarantee given under Article 15 (5) (introduced by the Congress on 20th January, 2006) of reservation for OBCs, SCs and STs in private educational institutions must be implemented without delay," the resolution said.

"Our resolve for the welfare of SC, ST, OBCs remains resolute - yesterday, today and tomorrow," the party asserted.

The resolution said history bears witness to the fact that when the Supreme Court struck down the reservations in 1951, it was the Congress government under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru that enacted the First Amendment to the Constitution and added Article 15(4) in the Chapter on Fundamental Rights.

Henceforth, the path for reservation based social justice was forever safeguarded, it said.

"In September 1993, it was again the Congress-led central government that implemented the Mandal Commission Report and gave 27% reservation to the 'Other Backward Classes' (OBCs). Not only this, the central government of the Indian National Congress once again wrote history on January 20, 2006, by adding Article 15(5) in the Chapter on Fundamental Rights and granted 27% reservation in educational institutions to OBCs," the resolution further said.

The initiative for social justice translated into reality by the First Constitutional Amendment in 1951 is now being decisively carried forward by Kharge and Rahul Gandhi himself.

The constitutionally guaranteed foundation of social justice can only be strengthened and carried forward by a nationwide caste census, it said, noting that the Telangana Congress government has shown the way through a caste survey.

"The findings of the 'Socio Economic Caste Census' conducted by the Congress Government in 2011 have not been maliciously published by the present Government till today," the resolution said.

In stark contrast, the present BJP government has continuously conspired to dismantle the existing reservation framework for SCs, STs, and OBCs, it alleged.

"Public sector undertakings are being sold off and privatised. Privatisation leads to automatic abolition of reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs," the Congress claimed.

Nearly 30 lakh vacancies in the governments, both Centre and states, as also PSUs remain vacant, it said, adding that if posts are not filled up, it automatically takes away the opportunity of reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs.

"The 'contract and outsourced employment' in government jobs is a deliberate attack on reservations," the resolution said. PTI ASK SKC ZMN

Source: PTI