Congress demands increase in Muslim quota

Hyderabad, Dec 17 (INN): The Congress party on Saturday demanded increase in quota for backward groups of Muslims besides inclusion of left out groups in reservation net.

Led by Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee (GHCC) Minorities Department chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail, a delegation of Congress leaders submitted a representation to the Telangana State Commission for Backward Classes seeking increase in percentage of reservation for Muslims in Telangana State. TPCC Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin, ex-Corporator Mohammed Ghouse and other senior leaders were part of the delegation.

Stating that the previous Congress Government implemented 5% Muslim reservation in just 58 days after coming to power, Abdullah Sohail said that the previous regime was forced to reduce the quota 4% due to legal complications. He also pointed out various difficulties and legal hurdles faced by the previous governments in implementing Muslim reservation, which is continuing in the State due a stay granted by the Supreme Court. He said so far lakhs of poor Muslims benefitted from the Congress party's policy of Muslim reservation.

"The case of 4% Muslim reservation is being heard by the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court and it is the duty of the State Government to defend the existing 4% Muslim quota. Therefore, we request the present BC Commission to address the factors on which the High Court has scrapped the reservation in the past," he said.

Stating that the Sudhir Commission has made an honest attempt to prepare a comprehensive report on the backwardness of Muslim community, Abdullah Sohail expressed regret that it could not gather sufficient data to counter opponents of Muslim reservation in the court. "Of 208 Government departments/Public Sector Undertakings, only 131 departments have sent the information to the Sudhir Commission. Therefore, as many as 77 departments/PSUs did not share the details of Muslim employees. This is a huge gap and will certainly be raised by the opponents of reservation when the matter comes up for hearing in the court. Therefore, the BC Commission should seek data from those 77 departments," he said.

The Congress leader said that it was impossible to enhance the quota to 12% without safeguarding the existing 4% Muslim reservation. Therefore, the BC Commission should undertake a comprehensive study, especially in areas which could not be addressed by the Sudhir Commission. "We also request the BC Commission to seek opinion of Law Department/ legal experts to ascertain whether the Sudhir Commission report and its recommendations would stand valid in the Supreme Court," he said.

Abdullah Sohail said the Muslim groups like Syeds, Pathans, Arabs, Shias among others, which were left out of reservation net earlier, should be included now. "The BC Commission can order a separate study to learn about their socio-economic and educational conditions which are not different from the 14 groups which have been identified as socially and educationally backward. We request you to expedite the process of submitting BC Commission's report after conducting public hearings in all 31 districts of Telangana State," he demanded.

The Congress leader also pointed out that the Sudhir Commission submitted its report to the Government of Telangana on 10th August, 2016. But it was made public only on 8th of December, 2016. The BC Commission began its hearing on 14th of December. Therefore, many people did not get sufficient time to study and analyse the report. "We request to conduct exclusive hearings for the representatives of political parties besides holding more number of public hearings," he said.

He assured the BC Commission of Congress party's complete support and cooperation in carrying out its exercise aimed at enhancing the percentage of Muslim reservation.