Date:11/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/11/stories/2006051113060400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Congress to support plan to introduce quota in IITs

Staff Reporter

The Congress is committed to it, says KPCC president Mallikarjun Kharge

FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president M. Mallikarjun Kharge addressing a meeting of Congress leaders in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Wednesday resolved to appeal to MPs from the State to unanimously support the Centre's move to provide for reservation in institutions for higher education to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and minorities, and ensure the passage of the Bill to be introduced in Parliament.

Commitment

KPCC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge told presspersons after a meeting of party leaders here on Wednesday that reservation in higher education was a commitment made in the Common Minimum Programme by the Congress and all other constituents of the United Progressive Alliance at the Centre, and there was no going back on it.

He said the 2004 election manifesto of the Congress had reiterated the party's support to the reservation system as it was the only means to ensure social justice and equity to backward classes, SCs and STs.

The additional reservation to the extent of 25 per cent in Central institutions for higher learning, such as the Indian Institutes of Management and the Indian Institutes of Technology, was a step in favour of social justice, he said. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council H.K. Patil and other leaders attended the meeting.