By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Bareilly : Since the Allahabad High Court pronounced last month a controversial judgement striking at the very roots of the minority status of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, debates and discussions on the subject are going on not only in this north Indian State but in other parts of the country as well. Muslim scholars and intellectuals have been raising their voice against the HC decision ever since.
At a meeting held at Quadri House in the premises of Dargah of Aala Hazrat here Tuesday, concerned Muslims raised a new question: Why shouldn’t a Muslim be Chief Minister of the State when they are in majority?
They said that the single bench decision aims at targeting the constitutional privileges provided for Muslims.
Presiding over the meeting, Maulana Tasleem Raza Khan said the decision of Allahabad High Court that Muslims are not a religious minority in U.P. is to strategically make Muslims inferior in the field of education and politics.
“If this verdict of the court is not challenged in the Apex Court, Muslims of U.P. can’t enjoy the benefits of the facilities provided by the central and state Governments on the recommendations of Sachar Committee. This will also affect the Muslims of the whole country rather than those of Uttar Pradesh. Therefore it is necessary that the Muslims, especially of U.P., come together to challenge the verdict,” he averred.
He also urged the Central Government to initiate an amendment in the constitutional provision to settle the issue.
Dr. Abdul Nayeem stated that it is injustice to deny Muslims of U.P. minority status. He added that the court has been reported as saying that Muslims can elect their candidate as Chief Minister of the State choice because they are large in number.
“If a study of census is done then Muslims can never be included in the majority population of Uttar Pradesh. Therefore the court should rethink on this issue,” he remarked.