Over the last 50years, social demography in India has undergone a radical change. With political rights, educational and economic development and welfare measures, has risen the political consciousness of all suppressed sections of the Indian society. New social forces have emerged seeking identity and participation. The Congress has done well by providing space for the emergent forces in its structure.

Under your leadership, the Congress has amended its Constitution to institute 33% representation for women in all party bodies, at all levels over and above 20% reservation for SC, ST, OBC's and Minorities.

The Indian National Congress today is the only national party which seeks to serve all the people in all parts of the country and mobilise all sections of the national community for the task.

However, the proper goal in our plural society should be equitable representation of all identifiable groups with in-built social justice. This would take as towards universal reservation which is another name for equitable distribution or proportional representation.

If Congress grants equitable representation to all groups, it can successfully withstand the pressure of any other political party because, no other party - not even BJP - considers all the people as their constituency.

With the above in view, may I suggest that the Congress may consider constituting bodies at every level and in various States/districts/Mohallas and Panchayats in accordance with local demography at that level. Social demography varies from State to state and district to district etc. Therefore, there cannot be a fixed formula for representation at different levels and locales except at the national level.

Taking as a whole, the Indian society presents the following sociological picture:

Hindus                                82%

High Castes                        15%

Intermediate Castes            47%

SC's                                     15%

Adivasis (Hindus) - app.     5%

Religious Minorities

Muslims                               12%

Christians                             2.5%

Sikhs                                    1.5%

Others                                   2.0%

I suggest that the Congress decide to achieve the above pattern of representation in phases but immediately adopt the following pattern at the national level.

High Castes   20%

OBC's            40%

SC                  15%

ST                   5%

Muslims         12.5%

Other Religious Minorities 7.5% (including non-Hindu SC's and ST's)

As suggested above, this formula should be modified for each lower level - state, district, block and panchayat - to reflect the local demography.