NEW DELHI: After a prolonged, and sometimes acrimonious inner party debate, the Congress has decided it promising quotas for the minorities in Government institutions in its manifesto for the general elections.
The pressure to include substantial ‘sops for the minorities in the manifesto had built up with a strong perception within the party that the Muslim vote had been lost irretrievably. This in tum triggered near panic as min is vital to the party’s electoral calculations.
The Congress has actively toyed with the suggestion to grant quotas for the minorities essentially the Muslim community with several leaders articulating the point of view. Union ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad and Sitaram Kesri and AICC minorities cell chairman Tariq Anwar are some influential leaders to have championed this cause.
The move to promise community base reservations has also run into opposition within the congress. At meeting of AICC office bearers, Mr. Kesri has been criticized for his statements in support of such quotas.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1996
