Rahul consults minorities for Congress' 2014 manifesto

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Monday consulted leaders of minority communities as part of efforts to involve common people in the drafting of the party manifesto for the 2014 general elections, party sources said.

"Until we don't open up processes, until we don't encourage leadership, problems will not be solved," Gandhi told a gathering of around 200 people representing various civil society groups who work on minority issues across the country.

The participants highlighted issues like security, equal opportunity, education, health and skill development.

"The main way to empower marginalised sections of society is to improve their access to quality education," said Gandhi.

On Sunday's visit to relief camps at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi spoke about the sordid conditions there and stressed the need for rehabilitating the riot victims and establishing peace.

"Congress believes in peaceful revolution," he said.

Senior Congress leaders including External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Minority Affairs Minister K. Rahman Khan, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes were present during the interaction.

On Dec 13, Gandhi had held similar consultations with civil society representatives who work with the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.