Former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir strongly condemned Home Minister Amit Shah for calling the 4% Muslim reservation being implemented in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as unconstitutional.
Shabbir Ali, along with Hyderabad DCC President Sameer Waliullah, addressed a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday, stating that it is highly unfortunate that Amit Shah, holding the portfolio of India’s Home Minister, doesn’t understand the difference between what is constitutional and unconstitutional.
Shabbir Ali emphasized that the 4% Muslim reservation is not based on religion, but covers 14 economically and socially backward castes among Muslims, as identified by a Backward Classes Commission.
The 4% Muslim reservation was provided without cutting any other community’s quota, and a separate law was passed by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly to implement it, he said.
Sharing the copies of GO Ms No 23 and the Gazette Notification issued on 7th July 2007, Shabbir Ali said that the Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Commission had recommended the creation of a separate category ‘E’ among BCs.
He said the 4% quota is being enjoyed by the poorest of poor among Muslims. He said the Muslim groups like Syed, Moghal, Pathans, Irani, Bohra and others were excluded from the beneficiaries and only the socially and economically weak groups practising professions like barber, butcher, stone-crusher, washermen, etc., were included in the BC-E Group.
