LUCKNOW, July 21 -- 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 people and make them aware of how they have been deprived of jobs and their rights. "Statues of BR Ambedkar were damaged at several places in the state. In Sultanpur, anti-social elements damaged the statue for the sixth time on June 30. The fact is that wherever incidents against Dalits take place, the wrongdoers are always linked to the BJP," alleged Gautam, with Tanuj Punia, chairman of the U.P. unit of the party's SC department, seated beside him. The Congress introduced the concept of free education and government schools, but the BJP is adamant on closing them to deprive children of education, he said. "They (BJP) want to deprive the children of Dalits and backward class of education so that they remain workers or labourers all their life. If they (children) are educated, they will ask about their rights. The BJP is attacking the self-respect of Dalits, and our village-level cadre will make them aware," Gautam alleged. He further alleged that attacks on Dalits for holding wedding processions and snatching their jobs with lateral entry appointments that bypass reservations are aimed at marginalisation of Dalits and backwards as they are now asking for minimum wages. Former state vice-president Dinesh Kumar Singh, chairman of media committee CP Rai, spokesperson Puneet Pathak and other senior leaders of the Congress were also present at the press conference. During the day, Gautam also attended a felicitation function organised by Bhartiya Adiwasi Rashtriya Gihar Mahasabha....