Punjab Congress on Tuesday said it would provide “reservations to the economically weaker sections from the general category” without disturbing the existing caste-based reservation system, after forming the Government in 2017.
The announcement by the state Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh came a day after Punjab cabinet, in a pre-poll move, announced the inclusion of five communities — Gosai, Goswami, Yadav, Aahir and Rabari — in the list of backward classes (BC). The move was aimed at wooing the communities with a slew of state aids meant for BCs, such as 200 units of free electricity, scholarship to students from Rs 400 to Rs 750, and many other grants. The BC list in Punjab already had 68 communities. “The government will make a provision so that the deserving people from the general category are not left out from the competition for the economic reasons,” said Capt Amarinder while interacting with students who had come from across the state with suggestions for the party manifesto.
“The provision for the reservation for this section will be made from the general category quota only,” he said.
The State Congress president made it clear that the party will continue with the reservation policy as it exists in the Constitution. “No state government can change it as it is under the jurisdiction of the Parliament,” he said.
Replying to a question on possibility of an understanding with the fourth front, Capt Amarinder said that the party will study the proposal from its leaders who had stated yesterday that they were open to supporting Congress also. He, however, clarified that there was no contact between the Congress and any of the fourth front leaders.