INC ‘declarations’ for Telangana
Chevella. With the Telangana assembly elections drawing near with every passing day, the Indian National Congress is galloping towards becoming a favourite among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in addition to the Backward classes and marginalised classes. The INC president Mallikarjun Kharge who spoke in Chavella town in Telangana on Saturday made it clear that the INC wants to deliver social justice to these classes that have been neglected by the governments run by different parties in the state previously.
It could be recalled that the INC had given a call to the nation that the government must do a re-survey of the communities belonging to several marginalised classes which the central government had not taken it up that has left the social justice delivery in the country lacking to a great extent. .But in the coming months, these movements will take a big leap into the national socio-political and economic milieu following the Indian National Congress (INC) giving a call to strengthen the social justice delivery system in the country. The Congress is working out a social justice plank for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in a big way, and as a prelude, the INC is giving a big push to the social justice delivery in Telangana through a series of declarations.
INC leader and MP Rahul Gandhi has made a fervent appeal for the removal of the 50% cap on reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), with a call “Jithni Abhadi Uthna Haq” (meaning rights should be proportionate to population). It took some time for Rahul Gandhi’s message to sink into national politics. Still, after a good three months, all regional parties are talking about social justice’s role in democracy.
The call of Rahul Gandhi, followed by a similar call by the regional parties is in sharp contrast of the BJP’s sectarian approach. The Hindutva consolidation can be broken by INC’s vision of social justice, the regional parties have understood, perhaps it is the only to splinter the BJP’s Hindutva consolidation, the Congress has been working on a plan to reach out to the SC, ST and OBC communities. It unveiled a new social justice package at its All India Congress Committee (AICC) plenary session held in February, promising, among other things, private sector quota, setting up of a separate OBC Ministry, reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs in the higher judiciary, and a caste census.
INC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s speech at Chevella outlined the series of 12 ‘declarations’ They are :
1. Increase the reservations for SCs to 18%, proportionate to SC population. Ensure implementation of A, B, C, D categorization of reservation for SCs.
2. Implement Ambedkar Abhaya Hastham, a scheme to provide financial assistance of Rs 12 lakhs per family to SCs and STs within five years starting from 2023-24, by providing requisite budget allocation in every year’s Budget. The financial assistance is intended to enhance the incomes of people belonging to SCs and STs.
3. Provide 18% reservation for SCs and 12% reservation for STs in Government procurement and public work contracts. Provide reservations for SC, STs in private educational institutions and jobs in private companies availing incentives from the government.
4. Provide a house site and Rs 6 lakhs for construction of houses, under Indiramma Pucca houses scheme to every houseless SC and ST family. Saturation approach will be followed to cover all the eligible families within five years.
5. All the lands assigned to SCs and STs, but usurped by BRS govt will be restored to the original assignees, with all the rights. And when lands are acquired for public purpose under Land Acquisition Act 2013, the assigned lands will be treated on par with patta lands for payment of compensation.
6. Forest Rights Act, which was passed by the INC Government under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi , will be strictly implemented to provide pattas for podu lands to all the eligible beneficiaries.
7. Introduce Sammakka Sarakka Girijana Graminabhivrudhi Pathakam (SGGP) to provide an annual grant of Rs. 25 Lakh to each Tanda and Gudem Gram Panchayats.
8. Establish 3 new SC Corporations and provide grants of Rs. 750 crores to each corporation every year. The three corporations are (1) Madiga Corporation, (2) Mala Corporation, (3) Other SC sub-castes corporation which are the most downtrodden SC sub castes.
9. Establish 3 new Tribal Corporations and provide grants of Rs 500 crores to each corporation every year. The three Corporations are (1) Tukaram Adivasi Corporation for the welfare of Koya, Gond, Pradhan and Andh communities of Telangana. (2) Sant Sevalal Lambada Corporation for the welfare of Lambadas (3) Yerukula Corporation for the welfare of Yerukulas and other plain area tribes.
10. Establish 5 new plain area ITDAs in Nalgonda, Mahabubabad, Khammam, Nizamabad and Mahabubnagar for overall development of Tribal communities. Establish super speciality hospitals at all ITDA headquarters
11. Implement Vidya Jyothulu Pathakam, to provide financial assistance for SC, ST students of Rs. 10,000 upon passing 10th class, Rs 15,000 upon passing intermediate, Rs. 25,000 upon graduation, and Rs. 1 Lakh upon post graduation. Provide Rs. 5 Lakh for the SC and ST youth completing MPhil and PhD.
12. Establish residential schools for SCs and STs in every Mandal and reintroduce the fees reimbursement scheme. Provide hostel facilities to all SC and ST students pursuing graduation and post-graduation. Provide financial assistance to every SC and ST student who secures admission in universities abroad.
Kharge said the ‘declarations’ are just nomenclature,e but the INC is committed to implement all of them with all its might and the government’s power to bring the SC/STs, BCs and Micro OBCs on par with other communities.
Expert psephologists opine that this was the best and most elaborate social justice push ever made for Telangana and are sure that this will bring back the INC into power in Telangana. (eom)
