Pioneer: Deepak Sharma/New Delhi

In a bid to stretch BJP's votebank in the State, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Sunday that by next month he will implement the recommendations of the Social Justice Committee for a fixed job quota for the Most Backward Caste (MBCs) and maha-dalits.

The Chief Minister also promised 15,000 new jobs for dalit youths in the State. Mr Rajnath Singh blamed the opposition parties for creating hurdles for the haratiya Janta Party Government in adopting a formula of social engineering in the State. Hinting at Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said, "those who claim to be Samajwadis are trying to break up the samaj. I do not wish to name the leader but we all know who has favoured a particular caste."

In a run up to Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Singh has generated political heat by driving a wedge among the dalit castes.

His maha-dalit card is already giving sleepless nights to Bahujan Samaj Party leader Ms Mayawati.

"When they were in power they did nothing for the Bahujan Samaj. The Valmikis (safai workers) were blatantly ignored. I assure that very soon the contract system of safai workers will be abolished in the Uttar Pradesh," he told the representatives of the Valmiki Samaj here at a function organised by top dalit leader and Uttar Pradesh Minister Ram Chandra Valmiki.

The Chief Minister said that the Social Justice Committee constituted by him to fix a quota for the MBCs and maha dalits will sumbit report by August 15 next. "Within ten days of this report I will implement the committee's recommendation. There is no need to worry. I have to offer the youth atleast 15,000 jobs. It's my word," Mr Rajnath Singh asserted.

He added,"Very soon we will release advertisement for these jobs in the leading news dalies."

Commenting on dalit politics, Mr Singh said that parties which claim to lead the 'bahujan samaj' are the ones who have exploited the dalits.

"For them dalits are not human beings but a votebank. In name of social justice, the poor and the downtrodden had been exploited by the people in power for the last 53 years of our Independence. Jo Bahujan ki baat karte hein unke saath bahujan nahi hein. Bahujan ke naam par sirf do log hi hein," he added.