Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, May 10, pledged that he would continue the 4% reservation for Muslims in the state at any cost. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly claiming that reservations meant for SCs, STs and OBCs are given to Muslims, Jagan said that the reservation provided to Muslims is based on social status and not religion.
Jagan said that the four percent reservation for Muslims is only for 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 not valid for Pathans, Sayyads etc. It should be noted that there are upper castes and backward castes in every religion. Then why minorities should be exempted. For political interests, it is unfair to play with the benefits,” Jagan said while speaking at an election campaign meeting in Kurnool
According to the 2011 census, Muslims are approximately 9.5% of the population in Andhra Pradesh.
The YSRCP president also attacked Chandrababu Naidu for promising to retain the Muslim reservation while being in alliance with the BJP, which has vowed to end it.
“How can Naidu promise to continue this reservation while being in the NDA alliance which wants to remove reservations for the minorities. Ours is not a reservation based on religion but on due backwardness,” he said.
The BJP including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been accusing the Muslim community of ‘robbing off’ the quota meant for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC). The PM has vowed to remove reservation for Muslims and redistribute it among SCs,STs, and OBCs.
Surprisingly Jagan also said that YSRCP will stand by the minorities with respect to NRC and CAA laws. “Either it is 4% reservation, NRC or CAA YSRCP will safeguard the interests of the minorities,” Jagan said. Meanwhile TDP hit back at Jagan, questioning the interests of the YSRCP, which supported the controversial NRC and CAA bills in the Parliament.