Lok Janshakti Party is shocked at the Minority Affairs Minister, Shri Salman Khursheed’s statement about Muslim reservation. Shri Khursheed has said that the central government is considering granting reservation to the Muslims in jobs and educational institutions from the existing 27% OBC quota.

The formula for Muslim quota suggested by Shri Khursheed is not acceptable to the LJP for various reasons. First of all, if the Khursheed formula is implemented, the Muslim share in the OBC quota will be limited to only 2.9 per cent.

The LJP would like to point out that the Ranganath Mishra Commission has recommended 15 percent reservation for the minorities. Out of this quota, Ranganath Mishra Commission has granted 10 percent share to the Muslims.

The LJP would like to point out that the Ranganath Mishra Commission has recommended 15 percent reservation for the minorities. Out of this quota, Ranganath Mishra Commission has granted 10 percent share to the Muslims.

We, therefore, reject any reservation that is less than what the Ranganath Mishra Commission has recommended.

Secondly, the LJP would like to remind Shri Khursheed that all the prominent Muslim organizations had gathered in Delhi in February 2010 to discuss the Muslim reservation issue. Those Muslim organizations had unanimously decided that any move to accommodate Muslim reservation within the existing 27% OBC quota would not be acceptable to them.

The LJP firmly stands by the unanimous Muslim stand on the issue. Therefore, we would not accept any move by the government to whittle down separate Muslim quota out of the OBC share.

The party believes that, any move to accommodate Muslim reservation demand within the existing OBC quota will lead to major communal disturbance and may cause major social tension between the two social groups.

The Muslim community at large is not in favor of any social tension. Therefore, the LJP categorically rejects Shri Salman Khursheed suggestion to accommodate Muslim reservation within the existing OBC quota.

Muslims are the equal citizens of India. They, like others, have been paying all taxes like, income tax, sales tax, vat tax, excise duty etc. They as equal citizen of India are demanding their due share, as recommended by Rangnath Mishra Commision, in government jobs, educational institutions and all government funded schemes like Indira Awas Yojna, Sarva Shiksha, Rozgar Yojna and all investment in social sector.

The LJP on this basis not just rejects the Khursheed formula but also demands that the Rangnanth Mishra Commission report in the regard should be implemented without any delay.

(Abdul Khaliq)