Letter by Popular Front Chairman- Muslim Reservation

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Dear Sir,

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullah

            I hope and pray that this letter will find you in good health and spirits. 

           

This is to bring your kind notice that Popular Front of India has decided to launch a two months long National Campaign for Muslim Reservation during February and March 2010.  The nation-wide campaign will start with a Grand Public Meeting at Pune in Maharashtra on 31 January. A Parliament March will be held at New Delhi on a convenient date in the month of March as part of the campaign.  It planned to have a  series of public awareness programmes such as  pamphlets, posters, exhibitions, street meetings, vehicle caravans, rallies, seminars and cultural shows in various states during  the campaign period. 

The decision to campaign the demand for Muslim Reservation is taken in the context of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission Report.  As you know the Report was tabled in the parliament without the accompanying action taken statement.  Nor the Central Government has so far made any commitment regarding the implementation of recommendations contained in the report.  Moreover our Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh told to the group of Muslim MPs, who met him with a demand for reservation for the community, that a broad national consensus was needed for a decision on the issue. While the government has taken many decisions with far reaching consequences on national as well as international issues even without a prior discussion in  the parliament, the pre-requisite of 'a broad national consensus'  for implementing Muslim Reservation can  only be viewed as an  attempt to distance the solution.  

The Mishra Commission has earmaked 15% of government jobs and seats in educational institutions for minorities, out of which 10% exclusively for the Muslim Community.  Alternatively, it has earmaked 8.4% out of existing OBC quota of 27% for minorities, of which 6% exclusively for Muslim OBCs.  Also it has extended benefit of reservation to Dalit converts to Christianity and Islam and suggested to repeal the clause relating to religious Qualification in the Constitution (SC) Order,1950. 

The Misra Commission report is a landmark and can be a breakthrough in addressing the long pending and just demand for reservation to all Muslims all over India. While the Justice Sachar Committee has earlier diagnosed that  Muslim Community as a single entity is  more backward than any other socio-religious communities including Hindu OBCs who now  enjoy reservation, the present report has prescribed the real remedy, that is reservation to all Muslims.  Also the report addresses the concerns of the more backwards among the Muslims. In this context, it is hoped that the National Campaign of Popular Front will further strengthen the ongoing efforts in different parts of the country by various organizations including the campaign initiated by Joint Committee of Muslims |Organisations for Muslim Empowerment (JCMOE).

We feel that various sections within the community must be aware of the attempts by communal, upper caste and vested interest outfits to divide Muslims on the issue.   And also there are attempts by them to turn other deprived sections against the demand for Muslim reservation. Hence we have to make it clear that reservation to minorities has to be provided without effecting existing reservation quotas enjoyed by tribals, dalits and other backward communities.

 We solicit your esteemed support and cooperation for this community cause. 

 May Allah the Almighty give success to all our efforts.

                                                                                               

Yours faithfully,

                                

E. M. Abdul Rahiman

Chairman

Popular Front of India

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തേജസ്‌ ഒരു വായന മാത്രമല്ല, ദൗത്യവുമാണ്‌.
M.T.P Rafeek, Sub Editor, Thejas Daily
www.thejasnews.com