Cong. demands comprehensive SC/ST Bill

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 10. While it voted for the SC/ST constitutional amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha today, the Congress(I) expressed dissatisfaction at the ``utter inadequacy'' of the legislation in meeting the requirements of SC/STs.

Demanding that the Government introduce and pass in the current Parliament session itself a ``comprehensive'' constitutional amendment, the AICC spokesman, Mr. Ajit Jogi, said this was necessary to correct the dilution caused by the five OMs (office memorandums) of 1997 which were against the interests of this section.

Today's amendment removed the distortions created by only one of the five OMs; the other four had not been addressed, he said. All the OMs concern different aspects of reservation in promotions for SC/STs. The OMs had taken away the legitimate rights of SC/STs, Mr. Jogi added.

PTI reports:

Later, Mr. Jogi and Mr. Prithviraj Chavan, also party spokesman, at a press conference, dismissed suggestions that the Congress(I) president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi's grip over the organisation was weakening as attempts were being made by regional leaders to seek independence from Central rule.

``There is no declaration of soverignity by regional leaders. It is totally wrong and baseless that State units are seeking independence from Central rule,'' they said when asked about developments in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

On `mahajot' (grand alliance) in West Bengal, Mr. Chavan said that when it comes to policy, the AICC alone takes the decisions.

Mr. Jogi disagreed with the view that a section of party leaders in West Bengal were not happy over the party fielding its candidate for the Panskura Lok Sabha by-election.

About the reported suggestion of the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh, for a Congress-NCP `mahajot' in the State, Mr. Jogi said he was not aware of any such statement.

He said both the Congress(I) and the NCP had contested the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections separately and ``we formed the coalition only to keep communal forces out of power''. He said the party would fight future elections against the NCP.

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