Taking serious exceptions to the remarks of Arvind Bellad, MLA for Dharwad West, in the backdrop of the agitation by the Panchamasali community for better reservation, the Progressive Muslim Thinkers Forum termed the comments as “irresponsible” intending to disturb communal harmony.
Mr. Bellad had recently said that the 4% reservation being offered to the Muslim community should be taken back and given to the Panchamasali community.
Addressing a media conference in Kalaburagi on Saturday, Shoukat Ali Alur, Sajjad Ali Inamdar and Mastan Biradar, leaders of the forum, said Muslims were among the most oppressed and backward communities in the country and 4% reservation offered to it was just and legitimate.
“After the in-depth study of the social, economical, political, and cultural conditions of the Muslim community, the Justice Rajindar Sachar Committee concluded that Muslims were among the most backward communities in India. The reservation offered to the community was in fact insufficient considering its population size and the extent of backwardness. Depriving the community of its Constitutional rights of reservation is therefore condemnable,” Mr. Alur said.
Caste census
Referring to the socio-economic and educational survey, popularly known as caste census, conducted by the Karnataka Permanent Backward Classes Commission during the Siddaramaiah government, Mr. Alur demanded the government release the census and reorganise the reservation based on its findings.
“Nobody knows about the exact population size of a particular community and its socio-economic and educational conditions. The caste census will provide correct answers and put an end to speculations. The government should first make the report public and then redistribute the reservation among the backward communities considering their population sizes and socio-economic and educational conditions,” he said.
Mr. Alur, criticising the government’s privatisation policy, warned the backward communities of disappearing government jobs where they could claim reservation.
“The BJP-led Union and State governments are increasingly selling Public Sector Units to private parties. If the rapid privatisation continues at the same speed, there would be no State-owned undertakings and, resultantly, no government jobs where backward communities can claim reservation. These oppressed communities should fight against the government privatisation policy,” he said.
