BJP’s ally JD(U) embraces Sachar

NEW DELHI: JD(U), a key ally of BJP, on Sunday joined the parties on the rival side to demand Scheduled Castes status for ���Dalits��� among Christians and Muslims. The national executive of the party also asked the Centre to immediately implement the Sachar Commission recommendations, which BJP has been describing as part of the UPA���s votebank politics.

���It is unfortunate that the recommendations of the Sachar Committee have yet not been implemented. JD(U) demands that these recommendations are immediately implemented. Not only Dalit Muslims but Dalit Christians be also given SC status,��� the political resolution passed by the national executive of the party said.

Asked about BJP���s opposition to this demand, senior JD(U) leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said his party will back the Sachar proposals. ���We are a different political party. Their (BJP���s) opinion could be different. But we will air our views,��� Mr Kumar said.

Party president Sharad Yadav argued that religion can be changed but not caste and recalled that Janta Dal had got reservations benefits for Dalits among Buddhists during the VP Singh���s government. In another resolution adopted at the national executive, the party said the current pattern of central funding to the state should end. ���The money spent on central schemes should be directly provided to the states and they should be allowed to run schemes according to their needs,��� the resolution said.

The party alleged that the central government���s schemes failed to achieve their targets. ���The Centre should focus on the subjects specified in the union list. I wonder why they are focussing so much on subjects of the state list. This is a temptation which people (the central government) should check,��� Mr Kumar said. ���States should have the freedom to make their own schemes as different states have different requirements.���

This stand of JD(U) is seen valid as many of the planners are of the view that the nation would have gained as a collective entity had the Centre allowed states to develop according to their respective endowments. The failed ���one size fits all��� approach has resulted in the imposition of schemes which are not workable in some states.

In his interaction with the media, the chief minister said the Centre should give subsidy directly to the beneficiaries in cash and there should be proper identification of the target beneficiaries. ���Instead of giving subsidy on foodgrains to the needy through Public Distribution System, the subsidy money should directly be credited in their account,��� he said.

The party resolution also reiterated the demand for special state status for Bihar. ���Bihar deserves a special package from the Centre under the special state status keeping in mind the level of poverty and status of private investment in the state,��� the party resolution said.