Most back benchers in govt schools 'Dalits,' says Rahul

Kanpur, Oct 24 (UNI) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi was at his sarcastic best, flaying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's pro-Dalit stance, saying majority of back benchers in the government schools were Dalits.

''Whenever I visited government schools and interacted with students, I found majority of them to be from Dalit class,'' Mr Gandhi said addressing them at 'Samajik Samrasta Mahasangam' programme at Motijheel here.

''Why is it so?'', he questioned adding, if the BSP president and CM proclaims herself to be a great well wisher of the Dalits, then why it is not seen in the social and education system.

''I insist that Ms Mayawati is not pro-dalit and no party other than Congress could ensure welfare of Dalits in the best possible way,'' the Amethi MP charged.

He said the political opponents of the Congress were highly mistaken, if they consider the party as a weak link in UP politics.

''Infact, the next government in UP would be headed by the Congress,'' Mr Gandhi claimed.

Coming down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the party of adopting double standards, he elaborated ''the BJP is supporting those parties in Maharashtra who are against North Indians and while opposing those in Uttarakhand. BJP should make its stand crystal clear,'' the youth MP demanded.

The purpose of such conferences were to identify devisive and separatists forces, who were out to create a divide between Hindu and Muslims and Christains and so on, he said.

''I appeal to all to get united and thwart the evil design of such forces in the larger interest of the country,'' Mr Gandhi added.

He put a strong case of youth in the politics and advocated larger representation of young generation in the organisation. He pointed out that his party had experimented in Punjab and Uttarakhand state organisations by infusing young blood. The same experiment would be soon repeated in UP as well.

UP Congress president Reeta Bahuguna Joshi, meanwhile, said that the Dalit love of the BSP was ''false''.

Union Minister of state for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal also lambasted the regional parties for giving way to casteism and regionalism.

UNI MB/SB JAS SKB CS1816