11-12-2006, 06:05 PM
Religion-based quota against Constitution: BJP
New Delhi, Nov. 12 (PTI): Terming reservation on the basis of religion against the spirit of the Constitution, BJP today made clear that it would oppose any move of the Congress-led UPA Government to introduce reservation for Muslim community.
"The Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) has talked about Muslims not getting their fair share in Government jobs and other employment schemes, we would like to state that the BJP will oppose any such move," BJP President Rajnath Singh told NDTV.
Reservation on religious grounds was against the country's Constitution. "We have opposed setting up of the Sachchar Committee and we will continue to oppose it in the Parliament and outside," Singh was quoted as having said by a release from the television channel.
However, Singh added "if Muslims as a community are not benefiting from the country's progress, we have to find some ways to help them".
The BJP president termed the Prime Minister's comment about infighting between Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani as "frivilous" saying he should not have commented on the internal affairs of another party.
"It was frivolous of the Prime Minister to make that comment. Advani and Vajpayee have had an outstanding record of coordinating working inside and outside the Parliament," the BJP President said.
Moily favours reservation for Muslims
New Delhi, Nov. 12 (PTI): Amidst the raging controversy over quotas, a senior Congress leader has said that reservation for Muslims should have been part of the Constitution.
"Dr B R Ambedkar, one of founding fathers of Constitution, had favoured in the draft of the Constitution Article 296 for the benefit of minorities, especially Muslims...after partition that was abandoned....It should have found a place in the Constitution," Veerappa Moily, heading the Administrative Reforms Commission, said.
At the same time, he said inspite of the absence of the provision, the Muslims could be put in the "mainstream" with OBCs to get quota benefit.
The contention of Moily, who headed the Oversight Committee that went into the issue of reservations for OBCs in educational institutions, is that the backward classes are getting the quota benefit not because they belonged to any religion, but they were socially and educationally backward.
Observing that there were people in minority communities more backward than the OBCs, he said that "if they (Muslims) fulfill the criteria for backward class as laid down under the clause of socially and educationally backward, they should definitely be put in the mainstream with OBC".
Moily's remarks assume significance as they come close on the heels of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement favouring "fair share" for minorities in jobs.
The Prime Minister had said that schemes meant to target specific problems in education, health, employment and shelter have not flowed "equitably to the eligible sections amongst the minorities".
The former Karnatka Chief Minister said the Muslims could be given reservation both in jobs and education. Himself a prominent OBC leader, Moily, as Chief Minister over a decade ago, had provided reservation to backward Muslims in the state under "OBC umbrella". It was not challenged in any court as it was implemented after carrying out a thorough survey of the socio-educational aspects, he claimed.
The attempt by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh recently for five per cent quota to Muslims was struck down by the High Court in the absence of a survey of the people concerned, he said.
Manmohan Singh government has already set up a committee headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar to go into the socio-economic and educational status of the Muslims.
"Just because they belong to Muslim community, they cannot be denied reservation," Moily said adding that there were people in the community who were far more backward than the OBCs.
To buttress his point, Moily said that no separate Bill was necesssary to include them in the quota regime if they fulfill the backward criteria.
Moily said Karnataka model could be emulated at the national level while implementing reservation for Muslims. Four per cent out of the 11 per cent Muslim population benefitted from the OBC quota.
Noting that the Congress has been in the forefront in taking steps for the welfare of the backwards, he said that the first amendment to the Constitution regarding OBC was moved by the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and "Congress gave voice to the people".
On the 27 per cent reservation for OBC students in Central Universities and elite institutions of higher learning, Moily said that reservation for OBC students in IITs and IIMs was the "biggest achievement".
Asked about the formula to be followed in the implementation of quota regime in unaided educational institutions, he said the model suggested for the aided institutions could be followed for the unaided bodies also.
Disfavouring entry of foreign education providers in the country at this stage, Moily said setting up of many more public and private institutions will lead to talent explosion in the country.
This, he said, can turn India into a superpower in education. "If Silicon Valley in the US is mostly managed by Indians and the alternate Silicon Valley at Bangalore is managed by them, so this will not be a difficult task. Only we have to change our mindset," he said.
----------
New Delhi, Nov. 12 (PTI): Terming reservation on the basis of religion against the spirit of the Constitution, BJP today made clear that it would oppose any move of the Congress-led UPA Government to introduce reservation for Muslim community.
"The Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) has talked about Muslims not getting their fair share in Government jobs and other employment schemes, we would like to state that the BJP will oppose any such move," BJP President Rajnath Singh told NDTV.
Reservation on religious grounds was against the country's Constitution. "We have opposed setting up of the Sachchar Committee and we will continue to oppose it in the Parliament and outside," Singh was quoted as having said by a release from the television channel.
However, Singh added "if Muslims as a community are not benefiting from the country's progress, we have to find some ways to help them".
The BJP president termed the Prime Minister's comment about infighting between Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani as "frivilous" saying he should not have commented on the internal affairs of another party.
"It was frivolous of the Prime Minister to make that comment. Advani and Vajpayee have had an outstanding record of coordinating working inside and outside the Parliament," the BJP President said.
Moily favours reservation for Muslims
New Delhi, Nov. 12 (PTI): Amidst the raging controversy over quotas, a senior Congress leader has said that reservation for Muslims should have been part of the Constitution.
"Dr B R Ambedkar, one of founding fathers of Constitution, had favoured in the draft of the Constitution Article 296 for the benefit of minorities, especially Muslims...after partition that was abandoned....It should have found a place in the Constitution," Veerappa Moily, heading the Administrative Reforms Commission, said.
At the same time, he said inspite of the absence of the provision, the Muslims could be put in the "mainstream" with OBCs to get quota benefit.
The contention of Moily, who headed the Oversight Committee that went into the issue of reservations for OBCs in educational institutions, is that the backward classes are getting the quota benefit not because they belonged to any religion, but they were socially and educationally backward.
Observing that there were people in minority communities more backward than the OBCs, he said that "if they (Muslims) fulfill the criteria for backward class as laid down under the clause of socially and educationally backward, they should definitely be put in the mainstream with OBC".
Moily's remarks assume significance as they come close on the heels of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement favouring "fair share" for minorities in jobs.
The Prime Minister had said that schemes meant to target specific problems in education, health, employment and shelter have not flowed "equitably to the eligible sections amongst the minorities".
The former Karnatka Chief Minister said the Muslims could be given reservation both in jobs and education. Himself a prominent OBC leader, Moily, as Chief Minister over a decade ago, had provided reservation to backward Muslims in the state under "OBC umbrella". It was not challenged in any court as it was implemented after carrying out a thorough survey of the socio-educational aspects, he claimed.
The attempt by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh recently for five per cent quota to Muslims was struck down by the High Court in the absence of a survey of the people concerned, he said.
Manmohan Singh government has already set up a committee headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar to go into the socio-economic and educational status of the Muslims.
"Just because they belong to Muslim community, they cannot be denied reservation," Moily said adding that there were people in the community who were far more backward than the OBCs.
To buttress his point, Moily said that no separate Bill was necesssary to include them in the quota regime if they fulfill the backward criteria.
Moily said Karnataka model could be emulated at the national level while implementing reservation for Muslims. Four per cent out of the 11 per cent Muslim population benefitted from the OBC quota.
Noting that the Congress has been in the forefront in taking steps for the welfare of the backwards, he said that the first amendment to the Constitution regarding OBC was moved by the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and "Congress gave voice to the people".
On the 27 per cent reservation for OBC students in Central Universities and elite institutions of higher learning, Moily said that reservation for OBC students in IITs and IIMs was the "biggest achievement".
Asked about the formula to be followed in the implementation of quota regime in unaided educational institutions, he said the model suggested for the aided institutions could be followed for the unaided bodies also.
Disfavouring entry of foreign education providers in the country at this stage, Moily said setting up of many more public and private institutions will lead to talent explosion in the country.
This, he said, can turn India into a superpower in education. "If Silicon Valley in the US is mostly managed by Indians and the alternate Silicon Valley at Bangalore is managed by them, so this will not be a difficult task. Only we have to change our mindset," he said.
----------