New Delhi, August 19
Making a strong defence of the reservation policies for the SCs and the STs, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said her party would not allow any change in these policies by the Centre.

Addressing a “Dalit Chunauti rally” here today, Mrs Sonia Gandhi called upon the Centre to take back orders on curtailing quota in promotions for Dalits. Maintaining that the NDA government was trying to reverse the policies on reservation and the Constitution Review Commission may suggest such a course, she said the party had opposed the setting up of the commission and would not agree to any downscaling of the reservation quota.

“The party’s Bangalore session had said that no reduction would be allowed in reservation,” Mrs Sonia Gandhi said.

The rally, organised to commemorate the 57th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, signalled that the Congress was adopting a more aggressive posture against the BJP-led government with all its leaders making strong pleas to oust the NDA government and replace it with one led by Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Reminding of the contribution made by former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi towards uplifting the poor, she said, she would strive to realise their dreams. She said Rajiv Gandhi worked for the Panchayati Raj as he realised that the upliftment of the poor was not possible without their involvement in governance.

Mrs Sonia Gandhi said she had instructed the Chief Ministers of 11 Congress-ruled states about strictly implementing the schemes for the welfare of the SCs, the STs and the weaker sections.

Hitting out at the NDA government for “failing” on all fronts, the Congress President said leaders, who had been raising fingers at her husband, were themselves in the dock now.

Lashing out at the NDA government, the Congress President said its policies had taken the country back by several years. “Serious issues are being tackled without proper work, the latest example of which is the Agra summit,” she said.

Violence in Jammu and Kashmir was rising and the government had been taking wrong steps in the North-East, Mrs Sonia Gandhi said. Maintaining that the economy was in bad shape, she said the government was facing serious corruption charges and was yet to clarify on the Tehelka expose, the UTI muddle and the share market scam.