By TCN Staff Reporter,
Patna: The RJD-LJP alliance, which has emerged as main rival to JDU-BJP alliance in the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections, has said Muslim reservation is not against the Constitution and it is on top of the agenda of the alliance.
After RJD-LJP promised 10% reservation for Muslims in job and education, many JD-U leaders during the election campaign termed it an attempt to mislead the community arguing it was impossible due to constitutional bar because Supreme Court limited reservation to 50%.
Rejecting this allegation, LJP general secretary Abdul Khaliq said that reservation to Muslims is not against constitution because there are many states that have set example by giving quota to Muslims in job and education.
“10% reservation for Muslims is on top of agenda of RJD-LJP alliance and if alliance comes to power, it will approve it in first cabinet meeting” he said in a press statement issued yesterday.
“While propagating that reservation for Muslims is impossible, why JD-U leaders forget southern states where Muslims are enjoying reservation?” he asked adding “Kerala provides up to 12% reservation to Muslims while Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh each gives 4% reservation to them, Tamil Nadu gives 3.5% reservation to them and recently West Bengal government announced to give 10% reservation.”
He accused that JD-U leaders are fully aware of the fact but they fear to do anything for the welfare of Muslims as they are sitting in the lap of BJP which is a wing of Sangh Parivar.
It is worth mention here that Tamil Nadu with 69% and Karnataka with 73% already exceeded limit of 50% ceiling in providing reservation and in July this year Supreme Court with some conditions also gave nod to it while hearing the petition filed against the two states for surpassing the 50% ceiling of quota.