Over 20 lakh poor Muslims benefitted from 4% reservation: Dr Aijaz uz Zaman

Hyderabad (RNI) The Congress party has announced a series of events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the introduction of Muslim reservation in the composite Andhra Pradesh, culminating in a grand event on August 25.The first Government Order proposing reservation for Muslims was issued on August 25, 1994, by the Congress government led by Chief Minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy. The order, GO Ms No 30, was a pioneering move that provided reservations to Muslims along with 14 other backward classes. This was the first such order issued by any state in India, marking the beginning of a policy that has significantly impacted the socio-economic status of the Muslim community.Stated in a media statement  on Sunday,  TPCC  secretary and Telangana NRI cell convenor Dr Aijaz uz Zaman  emphasised the transformative nature of the reservation policy. He stated that the Congress party has revolutionized the lives of nearly 20 lakh poor Muslims by providing a 4% quota in jobs and education since 2004-05. Despite interruptions due to legal challenges, the policy has brought substantial improvements to the lives of many poor families over the past two decades.Dr Zaman highlighted the crucial role of Mohammed Ali Shabbir, who was elected as an MLA in 1989 and initiated the drive for Muslim reservation by establishing the country's first Minorities Welfare Department and introducing a Minority Welfare Budget. "This celebration aims to highlight the transformative impact of the reservation policy on the lives of poor Muslims and also to honour the contributions of senior leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir, the present Advisor to Telangana Government," he said.On August 25, 1994, the Congress government issued GO Ms No 30 to provide reservations for Muslims and other backward classes. Following this, the Puttuswamy Commission was set up to implement the reservation. However, after the Congress lost the 1994 elections, the TDP government extended the Commission’s term without a report, delaying the implementation.

Before the 2004 elections, the then Congress President Sonia Gandhi included a 5% Muslim reservation promise in the party's manifesto. After Congress returned to power in the composite Andhra Pradesh in May 2004, the then Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy and Shabbir Ali, then a minister, introduced the 5% reservation within 58 days. GO Ms No 33, issued on July 12, 2004, granted the reservation in jobs and education, benefiting thousands of poor Muslims.However, GO Ms No 33 faced legal challenges and was annulled by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on September 21, 2004. After a prolonged legal battle, the reservation for socially and economically backward Muslims was reduced to 4% by GO Ms No 23 on July 7, 2007. Despite ongoing legal challenges, the policy has benefited nearly 20 lakh Muslims in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

"Due to the 4% reservation, the Muslim community has seen significant advancements, with nearly 14,000-15,000 doctors, over 5 lakh engineers, and many other graduates emerging from professional courses. The BC-E reservation has also been implemented in local bodies, leading to the election of Muslims as Sarpanches, ZPTC and MPTC members, councillors, corporators, deputy mayors, and even mayors. Despite facing numerous legal and political battles, the Congress party and Shabbir Ali have relentlessly fought to secure and protect Muslim reservation," Dr Zaman said.

The Congress leader said that in the last Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah targeted the Muslim reservation, promising to end it. Their threats reflect the BJP and RSS's agenda to terminate the reservation policy. "The Congress party, which initiated the reservation, remains committed to safeguarding it at any cost. The upcoming celebrations aim to create awareness about the historical context of Muslim reservation, the Congress party's role in its introduction and the efforts to protect the reservation policy," he said.Dr Zaman informed that as part of the celebration, the Congress party will conduct campaigns at the grassroots level, in mainstream media, and on social media. These campaigns will include interactive sessions with beneficiaries of the reservation policy in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states, highlighting hundreds of success stories. On August 25, a major event is planned, with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as the chief guest. The event will feature a documentary, a photo exhibition, and participation from top Congress leaders and Muslim representatives from across the country. He said further details of the events will be disclosed soon.