Hyderabad: Muslim leaders made a strong pitch for reservation for their community at Islamic Summit 2012, a conference organised to bring attention to issues concerning the welfare of Muslims in India. Organised by the Markazi Majlis-e-Quadria (MQM), the meeting discussed several issues ranging from the impact of communal clashes on Muslims, reservation in education and employment, the increasing prevalence of dowry among Muslims, political empowerment, improvement of educational standards, protection of Waqf properties.
The conference was attended by several Muslim scholars including National Woman’s Commission member Shamina Shafeeq, former MP G I Sanadhi, Prof Aktar- ul-Wasey, Prof Ghulam Yahya Anjum, retired IAS officer Khaja Shahed Mohammed, journalist-writer Sadiya Dehlwi, Moulana Md Ateef Quadir Badayuni, Md Hafeez-ur-Rahaman and others.
Summing up the three-hour long deliberations, MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, said reservation for Muslims in education and employment was now a necessity has proven to be useful in promoting social equity. “Reservation has proved to be a success in Kerala and Karnataka. Even in AP, the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy government implemented it and many from the community benefited from it,’’ he said.
The MIM MP minced no words in saying that parties hoping to get the Muslim vote would have to deliver on their promise of reservation. “Those who neglect the welfare of Muslims can do so at their own peril. If they do so, parties hoping to lead governments can as well say goodbye to Muslim votes in 2014,” he said.
The MP said Muslim continued to be an underdeveloped community despite 60 years of Independence, lagging behind in education, health and several other socioeconomic indices. Several other social problems have increased in intensity, he said, citing the spreading phenomenon of dowry in the community.
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