Digvijay for action against Rajnath

Patna, Apr 6 (UNI) All India Congress Committee(AICC) general secretary Digvijay Singh today demanded stern action against BJP president Rajnath Singh for allegedly releasing a CD, among UP electorate, carrying controversial remarks against minorities.

Talking to newsmen here, Mr Singh said there were strict provisions in Peoples Representation Act against any attempt of individuals or organisations to take political advantage by whipping communal feelings during elections.

BJP's action was ''irresponsible'' and aimed at disturbing the communal harmony in the country, he noted.

Asked about the prospect of Congress in UP Assembly polls, he said they would be performing better than earlier but refused to speculate about the number of seats his party was expected to win.

Referring to the recent stay on reservation by Supreme Court for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in top educational institutions, Mr Singh said once the reservation facilities had been provided to OBCs in central government services on the basis of caste census carried out in 1931, there was no reason to deny them the same facilities in education sectors on that parameter.

''In 1992, during the hearing of a case challenging order of the Centre for implementing the Mandal commission recommendations, the apex court had accepted the 1931 caste census and permitted the 27 percent reservation for OBCs in government services,'' Mr Singh recalled.

On controversies in BPL list in Bihar, he brushed aside the allegation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that irregularities in BPL list were committed during the erstwhile Rabri regime.

He said NDA government had published the list after verification and it should not pass the buck on others for discrepencies in the list.

UNI