Centre not serious in giving quota to Muslims: Mulayam Singh

Accusing the Centre of not being serious in providing reservation to Muslims, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday demanded immediate implementation of recommendations of the committees headed by Rajendra Sachar and Rangnath Misra in this regard.

"The recommendations of these two committees should be immediately implemented so that reservation could be given to Muslims. We are in its favour and have been demanding the same for a long time," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

His comments came against the backdrop of Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid stating that the Centre was studying various models were being studied for providing quota within quota for the community.

Yadav said he had raised in the Lok Sabha the matter of reservation to Muslims, whose condition were pitiable, and had also written a letter in this regard to the Prime Minister.

Alleging that the Congress was not serious on the issue, Yadav said, "Our party has always tried to work for the development of Muslim community. During our regime 14.5 per cent Muslims were given jobs in police. The percentage has come down to 1.5 in the present BSP regime."

Dismissing Khurshid's comment as "chunavi rishvat" (election bribery), SP leader Mohammad Azam Khan demanded action against the minister for making the remark "with an eye on the upcoming Assembly polls" in the state.

He said recommendations of both the committees should be accepted in toto.

The Sachar committee has thrown light on the pitiable social and economic condition of minorities and recommended steps for uplift of Muslims, while the Misra panel has suggested measures for the betterment of backward minority Muslims - economically, socially and educationally.

Demand for reservation to Muslims is gaining momentum with the elections approaching fast. Chief Minister Mayawati has already written two letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.