Congress foresees threat to continuance of 4 percent Muslim reservation

Hyderabad: Former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir gave a call for a boycott of the Iftar party, to be hosted by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, to protest against the threat to the continuance of 4% Muslim reservation and other anti-minority policies of TRS Govt.

Shabbir Ali was addressing a press conference at his residence in Jubilee Hills on Sunday after releasing a poster on the selection of 1,073 Muslim candidates for the MBBS course for the Academic Year 2021-22. Senior leaders including Hyderabad City Congress Committee (HCCC) Minorities’ Dept Chairman Sameer Waliullah, TPCC Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin and Mateen Shareef were also present in the press conference.

The Congress leader informed that of a total of 10,450 MBBS seats in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, poor Muslims who were categorised as BC-E by the previous Congress Govt in 2004-05 got admissions on 1,073 seats (678 in Telangana and 395 in AP). They include 164 seats in 10 Govt Colleges, 109 in 19 Private Colleges and 800 seats in six Minority Colleges. “Congress Govt not only provided 4% Muslim reservation, but it also sanctioned 6 Minority Medical Colleges from 2004-2014,” he said.

“On an average, nearly 800-1000 poor Muslims have become doctors every year since 2004-05. It was due to the Congress party that over 15,000 poor Muslims, categorised as BC-E, became doctors,” he claimed.

Similarly, of 2,580 BDS seats including 1,396 seats under the Convener quota, under 4% Muslim reservation, Muslims got 24 seats in Telangana and 32 in Andhra Pradesh. Therefore, a total of 56 poor Muslims got admission to BDS Course, he informed.

On this occasion, Sameer Waliullah announced that a committee would be formed by the Congress party which would visit all educational institutions to meet the beneficiaries of the 4% reservation. “We will extend whatever assistance they need in terms of study material or other financial needs. They got admissions under the 4% Muslim quota and we will ensure that they complete their education without any hurdles,” he said.

Meanwhile, Shabbir Ali said that the 4% quota in jobs and education for poor Muslims under the BC-E category, introduced by the previous Congress regime in 2004, was under serious threat although its continuance depends on the final judgment of the Supreme Court. “Nothing belonging to minorities, especially Muslims, which was protected by the Constitution and Law remained safe under TRS rule. KCR Govt daringly demolished six mosques, including two big mosques in the State Secretariat. Despite Congress leaders lodging dozens of complaints, not a single FIR was issued by the police, although those mosques were protected under the Places of Worship Act. Muslims are enjoying 4% reservation in jobs and educational institutions as per the Law passed in the Assembly during the previous Congress regime. By proposing changes in the Constitution, KCR wants to scrap the ongoing 4% quota for Muslims,” he said.

Explaining the chronology, Shabbir said that KCR first weakened minority educational institutions by stopping Fee Reimbursement funds and scholarships. It led to the closure of several minority institutions imparting higher education, including 75% of engineering colleges. Later, KCR Govt targeted all minority bodies like Urdu Academy, Haj Committee, etc., by not appointing their heads or bodies. The Chief Minister then removed the representation of Muslims from important institutions like the Universities and then the Telangana State Public Service Commission. He said that the lack of Muslim representation in the TSPSC was a clear indication that TRS Govt was not serious about implementing a 4% quota in the ongoing recruitment drive to fill 80,000 vacancies by violating the Rule of Reservation.

“KCR simply hates Muslims and he is damaging their institutions in a systematic and organised manner as part of a larger conspiracy,” he alleged.

He accused CM KCR of completely neglecting the welfare of minorities. Citing examples, he said under previous Congress regimes, the Chief Minister used to conduct review meetings for Ramzan arrangements. “KCR has not held a single review meeting for Ramzan arrangements in the last seven years. Consequently, proper arrangements were not made for Ramzan. Cleaning, white-wash, or other arrangements were not made in most of the mosques. Hundreds of Imams and Mouzans did not get their honorarium dues before Ramzan. Proper instructions were not issued to the officials. Musheerabad incident was one such example. Top officials announced that shops can be kept open till late in the night. But no written instructions were issued which led to harassment of traders by the local police,” he alleged.

“Previous Congress Govt empowered poor Muslims by giving them a 4% quota in jobs and education and it is our duty to protect the quota from all kinds of threat. We will not tolerate attacks by KCR Govt on minority institutions in any form. We will protect the 4% Muslim quota at all costs and we will send a strong message in this regard by boycotting the Iftar party to be hosted by the Chief Minister,” he said while appealing to the Muslim community to boycott the Iftar parties being hosted by TRS leaders to register protest against the anti-minority policies of KCR Govt.

Shabbir Ali said that a detailed action plan would be announced soon to launch a state-wide agitation to defend 4% Muslim quota from TRS Govt.