The Hindu : YSR promises quota in private sector

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 03, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR promises quota in private sector

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 2. The former Congress Legislature Party leader, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Monday said reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would be extended in the private sector too and backlog posts filled within three months, if the Congress came to power.

Addressing a meeting on `Problems of Dalits and the stand to be taken by political parties', organised by the Kula Vivaksha Vyathireka Porata Sangham (KVVPS) of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Dr. Reddy said the Congress would stick to its decision taken in Shimla and take all steps for benefit the weaker sections in the private sector.

Apart from these, the party, if it comes to power, would also ensure that the weaker sections get loans from the State Finance Corporation at a nominal rate under self-employment schemes and priority in housing, allotment of land and issue of ration cards.

The State CPI (M) Secretary, B. V. Raghavulu, described the economic reforms taken up by the Central and the State Governments `anti-Dalit' for they aimed at privatising the public sector and reducing Government jobs. This meant considerable reduction in the employment opportunities for the Dalits.

In a way such reforms were in violation of the Constitution, under which reservations were guaranteed to these sections, he said and appealed to the Dalits to defeat the Government and its reforms. Another `anti- Dalit' step was to phase out subsidies in the supply of rice, power and kerosene, he added.

The Secretary of the State Council of Communist Party of India (CPI), S. Sudhakar Reddy, said the delay in constitution of the State Commission for Dalit Rights and in the allotment of office space, reflected the sincerity of the Government towards Dalits.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader, K. S. Ratnam, said his party would adhere to the policy of making a Dalit the first Chief Minister, if Telangana was formed and allot three acres each to the landless Dalits. G. Diwaker of the CPI-ML (New Democracy) spoke.

Later, the meeting adopted a resolution appealing to the Government and all political parties to devote three days in a month to campaign against untouchability and atrocities on Dalits, implementation of Justice Punnaiah Commission report, judicial powers to the Commission, Rs. 5 lakhs, three acres and a job to the family of the victim of atrocity and issue of white ration cards to all Dalits.

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