Hyderabad: The Congress party marked August 25 as Muslim Reservation Day, celebrating 29 years since the initiation of reservation in education and employment opportunities for Muslims. Former minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir recalled the significant role played by the Congress government in providing reservation to Muslims on August 25, 1994. This day holds historical significance for Muslims in the state.
During the tenure of the Vijay Bhaskar Reddy government, the administration took a significant step by issuing Go.MS.30 and announcing reservations for Muslims as well as 13 other communities by including them in the BC category. Back in 1993, there were opposing views, with scholars and intellectuals contesting the idea of reservations for Muslims. The belief at that time was that Muslims were not backward and hence did not require such measures.
However, in 1994, the Congress government took the initiative to introduce reservations, a move followed by the YS Rajasekhara Reddy government in 2004, which provided 4 percent reservation for Muslims. During the tenure of the YSR government, Mohammad Ali Shabbir played a significant role in facilitating these reservations as a minister. While initially, a 5 percent reservation was declared, a subsequent court order reduced it to 4 percent.
Mohammad Ali Shabbir highlighted that over the past decade, reservations in education and employment have benefitted more than 20 lakh Muslim students. These reservations have enabled students to secure admissions in engineering, medicine, and various other professional courses, thus kindling the light of knowledge in numerous Muslim households.
Expressing concern, Shabbir noted that the current KCR government seems disinterested in safeguarding the 4 percent reservation in the Supreme Court. There appears to be a lack of earnest follow-up by the government in handling this crucial matter. The reservation policy has significantly impacted the educational and professional landscape for Muslim communities and has continued to be a source of hope and opportunity for many.
