After Marathas, Muslim MLAs ask for reservation

Mumbai: After the state government’s assurance to Maratha community about reservations, Muslim MLAs in the Assembly reminded the government that five percent reservation was given to them by the previous Congress-NCP government and the high court has given its nod for it. However, the BJP-led government has not implemented it. The opposition Congress-NCP members termed it as “hypocrisy” and walked out of the House. In the reply, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed its helplessness to implement the reservation.

Along with 16 percent reservation for the Maratha community given by the earlier Congress-NCP government in 2014, Muslims also got five per cent quota in education and jobs. However, the matter went to the court and was stayed. However, the court gave the nod for five per cent quota for Muslims in education, which was never implemented by the BJP-led government after coming to power.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the government would speed up the process for Maratha reservation after which Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi spoke in the Assembly. “We are happy that Maratha community is getting the reservation but why not the Muslim community? What has the community done to the government that it is not giving reservation to us? We also must get the reservation in jobs and education,” Mr Azmi said.

“Muslim reservation was given by law, and the high court sustained it. But the BJP led government did not implement it,” Congress MLA Naseem Khan said.  

MIM MLA Imtiyaz Jalil said, “Do you want that we should also come up with a similar morcha? The HC said that 5 per cent reservation in education for Muslim community was justifiable. Why the state government is hesitating to implement it?”  

In the reply, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government is bound to follow the law. “Muslim OBCs and SCs get reservations. The high court has expressed its views about the reservation, and we are bound by the law. The 605 courses under Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj scholarship is extended to Muslim community students also,” he said.  

However, NCP leader Ajit Pawar termed it as hypocrisy by the government. “You are giving reservation to one community and not to other is not correct. No one is satisfied with the government to stand on the reservation. We will walk out of the House,” he said.