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‘From KG to PG’: Congress launches campaign to woo UP’s Dalits for state polls
The Congress announced a ‘Dalit manifesto’ on Sunday to woo backward classes ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The Congress promised on Sunday free education and housing to Dalit families as part of its plan to woo weaker castes who might play a decisive role in next year’s assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
The party released an eight-point list as part of its ‘Dalit manifesto’ that promises free education “from KG to PG” and free housing equipped with toilets, safe drinking water and electricity.
“If the Congress comes to power, the government will make direct payments of all education expenses for a Dalit student. The government will also pay additional Rs 1000 aid to students going to other cities for higher education, including courses such as BA, MA, BTech, LLB and MBBS,” party Rajya Sabha member PL Punia said in Lucknow.
Uttar Pradesh state chief Raj Babbar and Congress’ SC/ST department chairman K Raju were also present.
The party also flagged off a number of Dalit roadshows – or yatras – that will crisscross the state to campaign in far-flung villages about the Congress’ past contributions to the Dalit community.
This is part of the Congress’ 50-day ‘Shiksha, Suraksha, Swabhiman’ campaign targeting to reach out to Dalits in about 5,000 villages across 85 reserved constituencies.
Strategist Prashant Kishor who was hired by the Congress for the assembly polls is reportedly not part of this campaign. He had earlier planned the ‘27 Saal UP Behal’ and ‘Kisan Yatra’ for the party.
The Congress is planning to come back to power after more than two decades in Uttar Pradesh but faces a strong challenge from the BJP, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.
Dalits comprise more than a fifth of India’s most populous state and experts say the community hold the key to the state polls, scheduled early next year. The Dalits – who face abject poverty and lack of health services and education – have traditionally supported the BSP but the BJP has made a strong pitch for their support.
The Congress launched the campaign invoking Dalit icon BR Ambedkar two days ahead of his death anniversary and printed pamphlets listing all the eight promises to be distributed among Dalits during the yatra.
“The Congress government in UP under Sheila Dixit will also establish residential schools -- one in each of the 821 blocks in the state for Dalits,” Punia said.
For the safety of Dalits, the government will post a ‘Suraksha Mitra’ at each police station. The Suraksha Mitra will report cases to the district magistrate and also o a particular officer posted at the chief minister’s office.
The party also promised up to Rs 2 lakh in medical aid for Dalits in government or private hospitals. The scheme will be named ‘Ambedkar Arogya Shree.’
“Sixty-five percent of Dalits do not have access to safe drinking water, 66% don’t have toilets, and 41% don’t have electricity,” said Punia, adding that a Congress administration would give Rs 3 lakh bank loans to any Dalit youth for self-employment. “The government will provide guarantees to the banks for these loans.”
Similar to Suraksha Mitra, the government will also appoint ‘Vikas Mitra’ in each block to assist Dalits to draw benefits of government schemes including rural employment scheme (MNREGA), food security programmes, and toilet schemes.
