Reservation for Muslims not based on religion, says Andhra CM Jagan

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, May 10, vowed to continue 4% reservation for Muslims in the state at any cost. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly claimed that reservations meant for SCs, STs and OBCs are given to Muslims, Jagan said the reservations given to Muslims are based on social status and not religion.

Jagan said the four percent reservation for Muslims applies only to those who are underprivileged in the community and affirmed that it is upheld by the Constitution. “This reservation is not based on religion. It is based on backwardness and does not apply to Pathans, Sayyads etc. It should be noted that in every religion there are upper castes and backward castes. Why then should minorities be exempt? It is unfair for political interests to play with the benefits,” Jagan said at an election campaign rally in Kurnool

According to the 2011 census, Muslims constitute about 9.5% of the population in Andhra Pradesh.

The YSRCP president also attacked Chandrababu Naidu for promising to maintain Muslim reservation while forming an alliance with the BJP, which has promised to end it.

“How can Naidu promise to continue this reservation when he is part of the NDA alliance that wants to remove reservations for the minorities. Our reservation is not based on religion but due backwardness,” he said.

The BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, have accused the Muslim community of ‘robbing’ the quota meant for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC). The Prime Minister has promised to remove reservations for Muslims and redistribute them among SCs, STs and OBCs.

Surprisingly, Jagan also said that YSRCP will support the minorities regarding the NRC and CAA laws. “Either it is 4% reservation, NRC or CAA YSRCP will protect the interests of the minorities,” Jagan said. Meanwhile, TDP hit back at Jagan and questioned the interests of the YSRCP, which supported the controversial NRC and CAA bills in Parliament.