Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Congress leader K. Rahman Khan said on Friday that the Congress was committed to ensuring social justice.
Replying to queries by presspersons here on the objection of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to providing reservations to Muslims, Mr. Khan, who has been appointed AICC observer for Kaup Assembly constituency, said that the Congress's vision of social justice was not confined to any one particular community.
“It is our commitment to all communities and sections of society and not just for Muslims or Christians. It is a commitment to the downtrodden. All measures are being taken according to the Constitution. Such reservation is there in Karnataka. The BJP is raising such issues as it has nothing else to offer,” he said.
On the division of secular votes owing to the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) fielding candidates for Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency, Mr. Khan said that there would be no division of secular votes in the constituency as the support base of the Congress was strong.
“There will be no dent in our support base no matter which party or candidate contests here,” he said.
On the plea by some Congress leaders to Janata Dal (S) to withdraw the latter's candidate, he said that it was a general appeal by them that secular votes should not get divided. Since Janata Dal (S) waxed eloquent on secularism, it should practice what it preached by ensuring there was no division of secular votes.
“We want secular votes to stay united. Our country is secular. We want to strengthen secularism. The whole world lauds our secularism,” he said.
Mr. Khan said that the Congress would focus on the failures of the BJP government and highlight the achievements of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the election campaign.
“We will tell people about the failure of the State government in implementing the Union government-sponsored schemes. The State government had also failed to implement schemes for the welfare of fishermen,” he said.
Mr. Khan said that after the date for withdrawal of nomination papers (March 3), party workers would campaign in all places in the Kaup Assembly constituency.
“We will explain about various welfare measures taken by UPA government for weaker sections. Congress candidate K. Jayaprakash Hegde will emerge victorious in the by-poll,” Mr. Khan said.
Former Minister Vasanth Salian was present.
