Muslim leaders want separate quota

Even as the BJP has been vocal against religion-based reservation, describing it as going against the Constitution, its own government in Karnataka provides 4% reservation for Muslims, without splitting them into castes.

Muslim groups are citing the BJP-ruled Karnataka as the best model, and calling for its emulation all over the country. The Karnataka model further gives benefit to those from families with an annual income less than Rs 2 lakh or those who do not have a gazetted officer as a parent.

Congress leaders say the BJP is deliberately creating a false impression that the government is giving religion-based reservation to Muslims. They say the decision to set aside 4.5% quote carved out from the 27 % quota of OBCs covers all minorities, and is reserved only for those who qualify to be OBCs.

However, they agree to the criticism of the Samajwadi Party (SP) that the move reduces the quota of non-Muslim OBCs as their reservation virtually gets reduced from 27 to 22.5%.

Leading Muslim groups describe the government’s move as being aimed at the UP elections and just an eye wash. Leaders of Jamiat-ulama-i-Hind, the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat and the Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind have also demanded immediate rollback of the decision, saying that it would not serve any purpose. They have warned the Congress that it would boomerang on the party, which is seeking to revive political fortunes in UP.

President of Mushawarat and former MP Syed Shahabuddin urged the Centre to follow the Karnataka model and extend quota to entire community based on income. He also fears that the Centre’s decision would create unnecessary communal tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim OBCs.

Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, appointed by the UPA government three years ago, had recommended a quota of 15% for minorities, with 10% exclusively for Muslims. The Pasmanda (Muslim OBC) Front as well as the Peace Party, which is contesting polls in UP, has also expressed fears that the government move will only damage the interest of backward Muslims.

Interestingly, quoting the records, these groups say the OBC Muslims were already getting about 3% benefit under the 27% OBC quota. In the new scheme, minorities have been confined to 4.5 per cent and they don’t expect Muslims now to get more than 2% as they would be pitched against other advanced religious minorities such as Christians, Sikhs, Jains, etc.