Activists protest over quashing of quota for backward Muslims

Hyderabad: Bitterly disappointed with the Andhra Pradesh High Court striking down the 4 per cent reservation quota for backward Muslims, hundreds of workers of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), led by seven legislators of the party, stormed into the state secretariat demanding remedial measures by the government.

The MIM workers gathered at the Secretariat gate shouting slogans against the state government for the adverse judgment. MIM legislator Ahmad Pasha Quadri said the government did not take serious interest in the case in the High Court leading to the judgment. He said MIM will continue its protest till Muslims get the promised reservations in jobs and education.

Later the police arrested the MIM leaders and their supporters and moved them to the police station.

Political will

Meanwhile, MIM President and member of Lok Sabha from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi demanded the Chief Minister K. Rosaiah to publicly declare whether his government had the necessary political will and commitment to fulfil the promise of 4 per cent reservations.

"It is not sufficient to merely declare that government will go to the Supreme Court in appeal."

Giving his reaction to the High Court judgment he described it as "shocking, surprising and a great setback to the Muslims of Andhra Pradesh which will have impact on the entire country".

He said that at a time when Sachar committee report described the pathetic conditions of Muslim community in the country and Justice Ranganath Mishra commission recommended 10 per cent reservations to Muslims, this sort of judgment by the court was inexplicable and confusing.

"This is strange that Muslims of Andhra Pradesh can not get reservations when they have got reservations in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Why this discrimination and why different judgments by the high courts of different states," he asked.

He said the High Court judgment had left thousands of young Muslim boys and girls disappointed and worried about their future.