Referring to the recent Union Cabinet nod to allow 4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities from among the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, AICC general secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh Digvijay Singh, who accompanied Mr Rahul Gandhi to the rally, said this had been possible because of the young leader’s initiative and the share could also increase in future as per the findings of the caste survey.
Mr Singh also promised that the minorities could be given 6 to 8 per cent reservation in government jobs in Uttar Pradesh if the Congress forms a government in the state.
Extending the argument of reservation further, Mr Singh said those castes among the OBCs who have so far failed to benefit from the reservation could also be given reservation separately.
Mr Gandhi, while targeting the Uttar Pradesh government on the issue of corruption, said, “There is a magical elephant in Lucknow which eats away the money of the poor.”
He further said, “We have sent crores of rupees in many schemes. Where did the money go? Ministers (in the state) consumed it. There is a magical elephant in Lucknow. While ordinary elephants survive on grass, this magical elephant eats up your money.”
The young leader said, “The elephant has eaten the money for five years and even digested it. Now Mayawati is changing the ministers. Sixteen ministers have been shifted, while only one month of the government is left.”
Exhorting the people, particularly the youth, to root out BSP in the forthcoming Assembly elections, Mr Gandhi promised development in the state on the lines of other Congress-ruled states like Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Kerala. He asserted that this state could also be changed.