Amit Shah's Remark On Muslim Quota Contempt Of SC: Shabbir Ali

Former minister and senior Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir today slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his statement that the BJP would scrap the 4% Muslim quota if it came to power in Telangana.

Shabbir Ali described Shah's remarks as highly provocative, and in the category of hate speech.

"Despite being the country's Home Minister, Amit Shah is aware of neither the history of the 4% Muslim quota nor its present legal position. The case of the 4% Muslim quota in government jobs and education, introduced by the previous Congress regime in 2004-05, is pending before the Supreme Court. Therefore, by announcing that the BJP government would scrap the Muslim quota, Shah committed contempt of court," Shabbir Ali said.

"Amit Shah should've done some home work before commenting on the Muslim quota. First of all, the Muslim quota was not given on the basis of religion. Muslims in undivided Andhra Pradesh were initially given a 5% quota, which was later reduced to 4% on the directions of the High Court. The Backward Classes Commission conducted a deep study and recommended categorisation of 14 socially, economically and educationally backward groups among Muslims as BC-E. Based on this report, the then Congress government introduced a bill providing 4% reservation to those 14 identified backward classes. This was challenged in the High Court and later the matter went to the Supreme Court. The apex court, in March 2010, permitted the continuance of the 4% Muslim quota subject to the final verdict by a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court. Therefore, no one except the Supreme Court has the powers to stop the Muslim quota," Shabbir Ali asserted.

"Nearly 20 lakh poor Muslim families, in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, benefited from the reservation. BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay, are daydreaming of coming to power in Telangana after the next elections. The people of Telangana will never get polarised, and will reject the communal agenda of the BJP and RSS. And why are BJP leaders jealous and envious of poor Muslims getting free education and a small share in government jobs, anyway? Do they want Muslims to remain illiterate and unemployed?" he asked.

"Indeed, the BJP seems to be hell-bent against anything that will help the Muslims. Earlier, Bandi Sanjay opposed the conduct of Group-I examinations in Urdu without having any knowledge that even the UPSC examinations are conducted in Urdu and other regional languages as per the provisions of the Constitution. Now Amit Shah is promising to scrap the 4% Muslim quota while knowing fully well that neither the BJP nor the TRS government has the powers to do that now. BJP leaders are desperately trying to spread hatred and communalism. But they will fail in such attempts," he added.

"The Congress created the 4% Muslim quota, and will leave no stone unturned to protect it. The threats by BJP leaders like Amit Shah and Bandi Sanjay Kumar are as hollow as their party's existence in Telangana. By making hate speeches, they can capture some space in the media, but will not be able to find any space in the hearts and minds of people of Telangana," he claimed.

"BJP leaders survive by spewing venom against the Muslims. They can only talk about destruction and damage to the minorities. They have no agenda for the development of the communities whom they claim to represent. They have no guts to speak about the rising inflation and the ever-increasing unemployment. The people of Telangana will foil their attempts to divide the society on the basis of religion," he added.