Muslim clerics fume after SC rejects 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities

New Delhi/Lucknow, June 13 (ANI): Muslim clerics on Wednesday denounced the Supreme Court's decision to reject the Central Government's plea of providing 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities on the basis of religion in central educational institutions out of 27 percent reservation for OBCs.

The President of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, said that the decision was a failure of the Central Government, which had failed to protect the interests of Muslim community.

"We had earlier said about the minority quota issue that the federal government has taken the decision in hurry, without even thinking about the consequences. There should have been a proper legislative process and they should have seen the implications of the decision to avoid any controversy," said Madani.

"I think that the responsibility falls with the Indian law who has taken a decision without thinking about its consequences and is now suffering because of it," he added.

Madani further said the Congress-led government and other political parties had failed to keep their promises mentioned in their manifestos for the upliftment of the Muslim community.

"The promises made to the Muslim community by the Congress party is yet to be fulfilled. We have grouse against the Congress party since long on the Muslim quota issue," said Madani.

"Even today the new parties who have come in power have not taken any concrete step to solve the issue. They should have worked for the upliftment of the Muslim community as promised by them in their election's manifesto," he added.

Khalid Rashid, a Muslim cleric, too blamed the Central Government for not doing its homework properly on the issue and thus failing to protect the rights of the Muslim community.

"The decision taken on the Muslim quota issue is very saddening for us. I think the government has not done its homework on the issue properly. They did not put the correct facts and figures before the Supreme Court that is why the decision is against the Muslims. This is not correct to say that there is no religion based reservation in the country," said Rashid in Lucknow.

Samajwadi Party leader Shahid Siddiqui also blamed the Central Government for failing to present correct facts and figures before the apex court about the Muslim community.

"Government did not do its homework. Government was not sincere from day one when they announced the 4.5 percent. They wanted political benefit out of it. Their idea was not benefit the minorities and the Muslims. Their idea was to benefit themselves politically and that benefit has not come both ways," said Siddiqui.

Questioning the government on giving 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities on the basis of religion, the Supreme Court refused to stay the Andhra Pradesh High Court order quashing the decision.

An apex court bench before which the Human Resource Development Ministry placed the relevant and supporting documents, forming the basis for the Sub-Quota, the Court questioned whether classification can be made on the basis of religion.

The apex court added that Office Memorandum issued by the Government on 22nd of December, 2011 did not have legislative support. The Additional Solicitor General, Gorab Banerjee, strongly pleaded in support of the sub-quota, but court upheld the Andhra Pradesh High Court order.

It noted that there is ambiguity in the calculation for carving out the sub-quota from the OBC quota. (ANI)