LUCKNOW, July 20 -- With an eye on upcoming panchayat elections, the Congress on Sunday announced to establish village-level cadre in Uttar Pradesh to highlight what it termed "anti-people policies" of the state government.

"India registered a total of 5,16,565 cases related to atrocities against Dalits during 2022, and 1,287 (23.78%) of these were from Uttar Pradesh. BJP-ruled U.P. topped the country in crime against Dalits in 2023, but the central government did not release the NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) data," national chairman, SC department, All India Congress Committee (AICC), Rajendra Pal Gautam said while addressing a press conference here on Sunday.

Gautam said the village-level cadre will put forth these facts before...