Cong may support 'quota within quota' for minorities, may raise their representation in party to 50%

K Raju said a panel is likely to propose establishing a social justice advisory council to the Congress president

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi and party leaders. Credit: IANS Photo

In what could be a significant change in its stand, Congress is most likely to come out in support of a 'quota within quota' in the much-delayed Women's Reservation Bill, reservation of seats for OBCs in Parliament and Assemblies on the lines of SCs and STs and quota in the private sector.

The proposals are part of the suggestions prepared by a panel on social justice headed by senior leader Salman Khurshid that will go to the Congress Working Committee, which will finalise the declaration of the Chintan Shivir here that is concluding on Sunday.

At a press conference, Khurshid and K Raju along with Digvijaya Singh and others explained the rationale behind the change in the party's stand. The panel is also favouring 50 per cent organisational posts for those from the SC, ST, OBC and minorities.

On Saturday, DH reported that the panel has suggested that Congress should consider appointing “anti-Sangh” pointsmen at the block level across the country to counter RSS ‘pracharaks’. It also mooted an intensive survey to understand the problems faced by marginalised sections.

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The panel’s proposals on the Women’s Reservation Bill and other issues are likely to find a place in the final declaration, as some leaders claimed that its articulation in a press conference indicated that the party would be changing its stand, though a final decision has not been taken.

Parties like RJD and Samajwadi Party have stonewalled any attempt to pass the Bill reserving 33 per cent seats for women in Parliament and Assemblies, demanding that there should be a sub-quota for OBC women. However, Congress had then not supported a legal guarantee on this and suggested that parties could do so.

Now, the panel leaders said that it could have been easier to get the Bill passed earlier with quota within quota but earlier, the party thought otherwise.

It has also demanded reservation of OBC seats on the lines of quotas for SCs and STs in Parliament and Assemblies.

In the party, the panel has suggested that there should be 50% representation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and minorities at all levels of the party organisation.

With the disinvestment process leading to a cut in the number of jobs offered by the government and public sector, the panel has suggested a quota in the private sector.