HC Judgment Will Not Affect Muslim Quota: Cong

Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana, on Wednesday, said that the Andhra Pradesh High Court's verdict quashing the 4.5% sub-quota for religious minorities from the 27% of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota in public employment and education would have no impact on the reservation extended to Muslims by the AP government.

Talking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan, Botsa Satyanarayana said that there was no need for the Muslim community to worry about the High Court's verdict, and that the government would continue the reservation for Muslims in the state in educational and employment.

Stating that Union law and minority welfare affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has been consulting legal experts to file a review petition on the High Court's orders over the Muslims quota, he said that Congress leaders had already mounted pressure on the High Command in this regard to file a petition in the Supreme Court.

Responding to MIM president Asaddudin Owaisi's allegation that the legal experts placed by the government to argue the case had miserably failed, and that the Muslim community's interests were jeopardized, Botsa said that the state government was no way connected to the case.

"However, the government is committed to the welfare of Muslims, and would take all measures to protect their interests," he stated.

Dismissing the allegation that differences exist between the MIM and the Congress, he said that there was no truth in such reports, and that the MIM would continue its support to the Congress.

PCC Media Committee chairman Mohammad Ali Shabbir stated that the High Court's verdict would have no impact on the reservation being implemented by the state government. He said there was no need to worry about the High Court's orders, and that the union government would file a review petition in the apex court after consulting legal experts. (INN)