By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind launched a mass campaign in Kolkata yesterday demanding 20% reservation for Muslims who constitute about 30% of the state population of West Bengal. A three-day street-to-street and village-to-village campaign was set off at Jamiat’s state headquarters in Zakaria Street in the state capital.
Jamiat state chief and president of People’s Democratic Conference of India Siddiqullah Chaudhary led the campaign with addressing more than a dozen programs yesterday in Kolkata. He held several corner meetings with a cavalcade of 10 vehicles carrying party workers.
In his addresses, Chaudhary demanded the state government of Left Front to take the demand of reservation seriously. He also demanded the government to make Urdu as second official language of the state. His third big demand is clearing of awkaf properties of all encroachments.
Today the Muslim reservation caravan started its journey from Dam Dam area and touched various areas in 24 Parganas district. The caravan was greeted with warm welcome by the villagers.