Justifying the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's proposed move of providing a sub-quota for minorities, a Union minister on Saturday said that the condition of poor Muslims and Buddhists in the county was "worse" than Dalits.

"The condition of poor Muslims and Buddhists in the country is worse than Dalits, therefore 4.5 per cent quota within quota was necessary," Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said.

The Union minister alleged that corruption in Uttar Pradesh was at its peak and blamed Chief Minister Mayawati for it.

"Though the Union government wants to set up projects, the state is not making land available and corruption is at its peak," Jaiswal said.

Jaiswal claimed that this time, the Congress is going to form the government in Uttar Pradesh, and behenji (Mayawati) and bhai saheb (SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav) should shun their lure of power.

He also said that the Congress is not worried about activist Anna Hazare and is ready to face him if he decides to campaign against the party in the state.

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"The Congress is not worried about the agitation of Anna Hazare or anyone else, and if Anna or his team comes to Uttar Pradesh to campaign against it, the party is ready to face them," Jaiswal told newspersons.

"The Congress looks ahead. In the past, many people have campaigned against it but what happened," Jaiswal said, adding that the Congress is a democratic party which is not afraid of any individual or agitation.

"The Congress only thinks about the sentiments of the people, following which it has introduced a strong Lokpal Bill in Parliament, which covers the prime minister as well as employees of group C and D and would try to get it passed," he said.

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