New Delhi: Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi made it very clear that the empowerment of Scheduled Castes and Tribes and Backward Classes has been “an article of faith with the Congress”. She added that she was of the "firm opinion" that the system of reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs must continue.
“There should be no doubt or ambiguity on the stand of the Congress on the system of reservation for SC/ST and OBCs. They were introduced by the Congress, they have been strengthened by the Congress and will continue to be championed by the Congress,” Sonia Gandhi said in a two-page statement issued. “This is essential to deal with the discrimination imposed by centuries of subjugation and oppression,” said the Congress president.
“The empowerment of Scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCS has been an article of faith with the Indian National Congress. It is the Indian National Congress that introduced the system of reservation scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in government employment and educational institutions as well as in elected bodies way back in the early 1950s” said the Congress leader.
“It is the Congress, which introduced reservation for OBCs in government employment and educational institutions in the mid 1990s and later,” further said Sonia Gandhi in the statement. The Congress President stated that her party believes in true equality of opportunity for everyone, Gandhi said the party has introduced two bills to strengthen the framework of reservations – the SC/ST (Reservation in post and services) bill, 2008 as also a Constitution (117th) Amendment bill aimed at providing reservation in promotions.
“The Indian National Congress has put in place policies that will encourage procurement of goods and services by government agencies from enterprises promoted by scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The Indian National Congress is committed to bringing in a Central legislation on Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) which will ensure that budgetary allocations are made in accordance with the population of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes” the statement added.
Sonia Gandhi recalled that Congress had also launched massive scholarship schemes and today over one crore youths belonging to SCs/STs and OBCs are beneficiaries of these schemes every month. The Congress president also said the party was committed to bringing in a central legislation on SC Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan and it has also initiated a national dialogue for ensuring affirmative action for SC and ST in the private sector.
Following is the full text of statement of Congress President Sonia Gandhi on caste-based reservations.
The empowerment of Scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCS has been an article of faith with the Indian National Congress. It is the Indian National Congress that introduced the system of reservation scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in government employment and educational institutions as well as in elected bodies’ way back in the early 1950s.
It is the Indian National Congress that introduced reservations for OBCS in government employment and educational institutions in the mid-1990s and later. The Indian National Congress is of the firm opinion that the system of reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs must continue. This is essential to deal with the discrimination imposed by centuries of subjugation and oppression. The Indian National Congress believes in true equality of opportunity for everyone.
In its 2009 Lok Sabha election manifesto, the Indian National Congress had pledged to carve out a reservation for the economically weaker sections of all communities without prejudice to existing reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs. A dialogue on this has already been initiated.
The Indian National Congress has introduced the following two bills in Parliament in order to strengthen the framework of reservations:
1. The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes (Reservation in Posts and Services) Bill, 2008 to provide a legal framework 'for ensuring effective implementation 0f existing reservations.
2. The Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill 2012 to provide for reservation in promotions for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
The Indian National Congress has also launched massive scholarship schemes and today over one crore youth belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCS are beneficiaries of these scholarship schemes every mouth.
The Indian National Congress has put in place policies that will encourage procurement of goods and services by government agencies from enterprises promoted by scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The Indian National Congress is committed to bringing in a Central legislation on Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) which will ensure that budgetary allocations are made in accordance with the population of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes
The Indian National Congress has also initiated a national dialogue for ensuring affirmative action for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the private sector. There should be no doubt or ambiguity on the stand of the Indian National Congress on the system of reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCS. They were introduced by the Congress party, they have been strengthened by the Congress party and they will continue to be championed by the Congress party.
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