By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: It is not that only Muslim organizations and community leaders are demanding reservation for Muslims. In fact, it is vox populi – the voice of common Muslims in the street, thanks to the recommendations by Sachar Committee and Ranganath Mishra Commission. The former diagnosed the illness of the Muslim society, the latter prescribed medicine – reservation.
Talk to a Muslim, old or young, from Delhi, Gujarat or Maharashtra. A loud ‘Yes’ you will hear when you ask if Muslims should be given reservation.
“Muslims should be given reservation,” says Jameel Ahmed, a street vendor in the shadow of historic Jama Masjid in Delhi, and gives logic: “They took part in the fight for freedom of the country. They sacrificed their life for this. Till date they have been loyal to the nation. They must deserve reservation.”
Mahfoozul Hassan, retired officer, also in Delhi says: Muslims should be given reservation as a community as governments so far have not done enough for the uplift of the community. The reservation will increase their share in the government jobs. Told about the Constitutional hurdle that reservation cannot be given on the basis of religions, Hassan says: When Scheduled Castes have been given reservation on the basis of reservation then why not Muslims.
Mohammad Ibrahim Khan of Akola in Maharashtra is shopping near Jama Masjid in Delhi. Asked about Muslim reservation, he said: Sachar Committee Report has established the fact that the economic, educational and social condition of Muslims has just deteriorated in the last 60 years. When the government has accepted that the community is backward in every sphere then there is no question of not giving them reservation.
Hashim from Gujarat has the same opinion: Muslims are living in the country, they are backward educationally and economically, they should be given reservation.
On the issue the Muslim students community has no different views.
Rana Mujahid Khan, a final year engineering student of Jamia Millia Islamia says: There are two communities in India: upper class people and lower class people, the former has everything to get good education and improve their living style but the latter lack resources. These people irrespective of religion should be given reservation.
Raziullah Khan, also final year engineering student of the same university, says: Because Muslims are a minority in India and constitution says to give them all rights so they should be given reservation to fulfill the purpose of the constitution.
Mohammad Abdullah, a Delhi University graduate, opines: As every community has reservation in the country so Muslims should also be given reservation. They should be given reservation not as a religious community but because they are backward economically and educationally.
(With inputs from Mahtab Alam in New Delhi)