Congress seeks to play down the Gurjar uprising
The violent agitation by the Gurjars and signs of similar protests from other parts of the country appear to be having a chastening effect on the political class.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The violent agitation by the Gurjars and signs of similar protests from other parts of the country appear to be having a chastening effect on the political class. While the BJP seeks to work with the Congress to sort out the Rajasthan mess, the Congress Working Committee on Monday refrained from scoring brownie points against the rival and advised agitators to display restraint.
“There was consensus in the CWC that tensions must be diffused immediately and the matter should be resolved through negotations. The developments are worrisome and no one should be allowed to take political advantage of the situation,” Congress media committee chairman Janardan Dwivedi said.
The CWC meeting, which was held in the backdrop of fresh demands for downward mobility, was of the view that the situation should not be allowed to linger. The Centre had earlier advised the state government to constitute a commission to go into the demand of the Gurjars.
Union home minister Shivraj Patil told the CWC that conceding the demand for ST status is not easy as it has to go through four stages in the state and three stages at the Centre before the benefits are actually given. Implict in this was a feeling that there was no cause for alarm.
One of the participants said that the home minister told the meeting that a number of applications for ST status were already pending with the Union welfare ministry. However, it was for the state commission to give its opinion on the issue before the Centre could take them up.
That the issue is tricky is being acknowledged by responsible sections within the party. When Arjun Singh sponsored the OBC quota plan, this section had warned about the long-term implications of the move. But the quota enthusiasts within the alliance forced the Congress into accepting the Arjun Singh proposal.
The Rajasthan events, however, had little impact on the quota votaries from southern India. PMK founder leader S Ramadoss, who supported the Gurjar agitation, said there should be a separate proportional reservation for the communities which are “socially, economically and politically backward.”
Ramadoss told reporters in Chennai that proportional reservation for all communities based on their population would ensure equal opportunities in education and employment for all oppressed communities and would avoid caste clashes. “The Gurjar agitation is a manifestation of caste oppression in the country,” he said.
“There was consensus in the CWC that tensions must be diffused immediately and the matter should be resolved through negotations. The developments are worrisome and no one should be allowed to take political advantage of the situation,” Congress media committee chairman Janardan Dwivedi said.
The CWC meeting, which was held in the backdrop of fresh demands for downward mobility, was of the view that the situation should not be allowed to linger. The Centre had earlier advised the state government to constitute a commission to go into the demand of the Gurjars.
Union home minister Shivraj Patil told the CWC that conceding the demand for ST status is not easy as it has to go through four stages in the state and three stages at the Centre before the benefits are actually given. Implict in this was a feeling that there was no cause for alarm.
One of the participants said that the home minister told the meeting that a number of applications for ST status were already pending with the Union welfare ministry. However, it was for the state commission to give its opinion on the issue before the Centre could take them up.
That the issue is tricky is being acknowledged by responsible sections within the party. When Arjun Singh sponsored the OBC quota plan, this section had warned about the long-term implications of the move. But the quota enthusiasts within the alliance forced the Congress into accepting the Arjun Singh proposal.
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The Rajasthan events, however, had little impact on the quota votaries from southern India. PMK founder leader S Ramadoss, who supported the Gurjar agitation, said there should be a separate proportional reservation for the communities which are “socially, economically and politically backward.”
Ramadoss told reporters in Chennai that proportional reservation for all communities based on their population would ensure equal opportunities in education and employment for all oppressed communities and would avoid caste clashes. “The Gurjar agitation is a manifestation of caste oppression in the country,” he said.
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