Gandhi said that he often visited Uttar Pradesh and found in 99% of the schools that upper caste students sat in the front rows while Dalit students were pushed to the back of the class. The situation is the same in the rest of the country since no political party has groomed Dalit leaders, he said. "When people talk of Dalit leadership, I don't see anyone. I want to build Dalit leadership at all levels - zila, block, assembly. I want such a leadership that to fill one post I should get 100 candidates so that I get more choice."
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has set her eyes on wooing the Dalits in the next election, as he accepted that no political party, including Congress, has worked towards grooming Dalit leaders. He even attacked the only known face of Dalit leader and BSP chief Mayawati for this lapse and promised to field more candidates from this community.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has set her eyes on wooing the Dalits in the next election, as he accepted that no political party, including Congress, has worked towards grooming Dalit leaders. He even attacked the only known face of Dalit leader and BSP chief Mayawati for this lapse and promised to field more candidates from this community.
Addressing a meet - 'National Dialogue on Social Disparities' - organised by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, who has been making concerted efforts to make a dent in the BSP's support base among the Dalits, added, "I want that there should be a queue of Dalit leaders at all levels, in UP, Delhi, at block levels, in villages...."
Gandhi said the problem is related to ticket distribution, and promised to make it more representative, as he wanted the Dalits to be backbone of Congress party in future and promised that he would stand by them to ensure their progress irrespective of the amount of time it takes and assured to field more candidates from the community.
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