Campaign for Muslim quota to be launched today

Hyderabad, April 3 (INN): TPCC President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy will launch the campaign "One Million Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation in Telangana" on Monday at 12 Noon at Gandhi Bhavan.

The campaign is being organised by Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee (Minorities Department). TPCC Working President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, MLC Mohammed Farooq Hussain, ex-MLC and Jamiatul-e-Ulema president Hafez Peer Shabbir and other senior Congress leaders will also be present. Siasat Urdu Daily News Editor Amer Ali Khan, who has been running a consistent movement for 12% Muslim reservation across the State, will also attend the function as Special Guest.

GHCC (Minorities Dept) Chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail informed that "Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation" campaign was aimed at collecting 10 lakh signatures/nods from different sections of the society to pressurise the TRS Government to fulfill its promise of giving 12% quota for Muslims in government jobs and education. Leaders and workers of Telangana Congress, at all levels, will actively participate in the campaign. "Besides collecting signatures manually, we will run a massive online campaign on all social media platforms. This will be one of the biggest and most aggressive campaign ever launched seeking Muslim reservation in India," he said.

Those in favour of 12% Muslim Reservation can support the campaign by sending e-mail to "yesformuslimreservation@gmail.com" Like the FaceBook Page "Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation" Send SMS or WhatsApp message to the number "+91 7842 369 212" or they can sign the online petition, he informed.

Abdullah Sohail said that the Congress party was not making a new demand for Muslim quota. "The ongoing 4% Muslim reservation in Telangana was introduced and implemented by previous Congress Government in 2004. It was KCR who had promised 12% Muslim quota during elections and based on his promise, Muslims of Telangana voted for TRS in last elections. Therefore, it is his duty to fulfill the election promise without further delay," he demanded.

"Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had promised to provide 12% Muslim quota in just four months after coming to power. However, it took nine months for the State Government to appoint an Enquiry Commission led by ex-IAS officer G. Sudhir Commission to study the socio-economic and educational conditions of Muslims in Telangana. Despite getting two extensions, the Commission is still not in a position to submit its report," said Abdullah Sohail.

Further, the Congress leader said that the Sudhir Commission was constituted under Enquiry Act and therefore, it is not empowered to recommend reservation for Muslims. As per the road map proposed by the Chief Minister during just concluded budget session, the government would constitute a BC Commission only after Sudhir Commission submits its report. Later, the government proposes to move a resolution in Assembly which would be forwarded to Central Government. "This is not road map, but a clear attempt to put the 12% Muslim quota off the road. "One Million Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation" campaign is aimed at building pressure on the State Government to expedite the entire process," he said.