Buoyed by the response from Muslim voters, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has decided to go ahead with minority development programmes. Muslim representation will be increased in education and in government jobs. But, fearing protests, the government is refraining from talking about quotas for them.
Though not clearly uttering “reservations for Muslims”, minority affairs minister Salman Khurshid said the government will go for strong “affirmative action in the Indian way, not restricting to quota”.
“I don’t think quotas are necessary. Share or participation is the word. I am not looking for an easy escape route but a superior socially accepted route,” Khurshid said.
The Congress manifesto clearly says that the party has pioneered reservations for minorities in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in government employment and education on the basis of social backwardness and that it is committed to adopt this policy at the national level.
The party has also promised to substantially increase representation of minorities in public administration.
But its own minister tried to downplay quota talk. Wary of the bad blood and heart-burns the Arjun Singh-initiated OBC reservations caused, the government is cautious about a repeat. “We don’t want to create agony. We will do something without depriving someone else. We will create more space in education and more jobs to increase Muslims representation,” Khurshid said.
Also, the government is not keen on its decisions being challenged in courts.
For the time-being, Khurshid’s priority is to create an equal opportunities panel to look into grievances regarding discrimination against minorities, besides making policies and creating opportunities for minority students.
