After the dismal performance of its Muslim candidates in the just concluded Assembly polls, the Congress on Monday decided to focus on important issues pertaining to empowerment of the minorities. The exercise is seen as a step to woo the minority community in the lok Sabha polls.
Issues like Sachar Committee, Communal Violence Bill, dedicated minorities institutions and release of youths languishing in jails across the country in terror cases were discussed during the consultation process between Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and civil society members. The consultation was aimed at finalising the chapter on the minority issues in the party's manifesto for the lok Sabha.
While the issue of Muzaffarnagar riots also figured prominently during Gandhi's meeting with the minority groups, Union Minister Salman Khurshid said that 69 of the recommendations made by the Sachar Committee have been accepted and implemented for the welfare of the minority community. Gandhi stressed the need “to fight the politics that thrives on creating fear.” Recalling the fear of a young boy he met at a relief camp at Shamli during his visit there on Sunday, Rahul said no person of any community or caste should ever be scared in a secular country like India. He also talked about the plight of the displaced riot victims at Shamli camps and stressed the need for their rehabilitation.
“The Congress party believes in Shanti Ke Saath Kranti,” Rahul said while interacting with the representatives from minority communities who came forward with a variety of suggestions for the manifesto. Rahul said minorities issues will be included in the manifesto after feedback from ground level.
Stating that the key issue is leadership, the Congress vice-president said “until we don't open up process, until we do not encourage leadership, problems will not be solved. The main problem at all levels is that of developing leadership”. later addressing the media, Khurshid said the entire manifesto consultation process was being spearheaded by Gandhi, who was conducting a series of interactions across the country with a variety of stakeholders.
According to Rahul, this process was the first step towards opening up the processes to develop policy and provide political representation. Rahul believes the main way to empower the marginalised sections was to improve their access to quality education, Khurshid said at AICC briefing. When asked about the Allahabad High Court directives that Uttar Pradesh government could not release Muslims youths languishing in jails over terror cases without the Centre's consent, Khurshid said that the government will take a decision in this regard very soon and may figure in the party's manifesto.
The Allahabad high court last week had rapped the Uttar Pradesh government saying it cannot withdraw terror cases without the consent of the Centre. The court order was observed as a major setback for the ruling Samajwadi Party which had promised in its 2012 election manifesto that it would ensure the release of ‘innocent’ Muslim youths jailed in fake terror cases. The court also said that the stay on withdrawal of terror cases would continue and directed to place the matter before the two-member division bench for final adjudication at the earliest. The issue figured in the Congress manifesto consultation process.