Muslim backwards and Mandal Commission

Muslim backwards and Mandal Commission
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       With the so-called secularism having collapsed under the weight of its own 

frauds, a new era has dawned wherein the realities must be recognized, not only 

by Indian Muslims, but also by each and every political party. We all will have to 

say good bye to the old political gimmicks like Mr. Salman Khursheed declaring 

during the last Assembly election ‘ even if the Election Commission hangs me, I 

will provide 8% reservation for Muslims’, and Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav 

countering ‘ what 8%, I will give 18%.’ However, on the eve of elections, no 

promise, no commitment, no fulfillment, but an atmosphere had always been 

created wherein Muslims’ role was reduced only to ‘defeat fascist forces’.

      Good or bad, but the recent Parliamentary election has exploded many old 

myths. A time has come for the Muslim community to think in terms of some 

constructive agenda and ‘give and take policy’ as a bargaining point in exchange 

for their votes. Leave apart the fraudulent talks like Sacher Committee, 

Rangnath Mishra Commission, constitutionality of Muslim reservation etc., 

fixation of 8.5% quota for Muslim backwards within the ambit of 27% 

reservations of Mandal Commission, which can be done only by a simple 

government G.O, is the easiest way to judge the sincerity of every party in 

power towards Muslim cause.

       To reiterate in brief, the backward castes ( both Hindus and Muslims ) within 

Mandal Commission constitute about 80% of Indian population, within which 

Muslim backwards come to about 8.5%. Practically Muslim backwards are 

comparatively so weak that they are unable to compete with Hindu backwards 

like Ahir, Lodh, Kurmis etc. Consequently, Mandal Commission reservation has 

proved a myth for Muslim backwards. According to Supreme Court decisions, 

the sub-quota within the ambit of 27 % can be earmarked by a simple 

government G.O. Many times in the past our delegations met the erstwhile 

governments of Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav : all talking of this and that, 

but not conceding this simple demand ,falling exclusively within their power. It 

is time for the Akhlesh Yadav government to fix Muslim backward quota 

forthwith, if they are expecting Muslim vote, because now this old slogan of ‘ 

defeating B.J.P.’ will not work.

 Muslims, on their part, too must realize the realities that B.J.P. is in power at the 

center, and if Samajwadi Party, B.S.P. and Congress do not join hands to form a 

common front, it is written on the walls that B.J.P. will sweep the coming 

Assembly elections in U.P., whenever they are held. The community must now 

come out of the old ‘Defeat B.J.P. syndrome’ through tactical voting etc. and act 

as free citizens of the country , ready to bargain for their collective vote. If the 

B.J.P. government at the center is doing something good for the country, we 

must praise it as an Indian citizen, if it does something constructive for the 

Muslim community, we must not hesitate to applaud it as an Indian Muslim, if it 

does something bad for the country, we must rise up as an Indian citizen to 

criticize it, and if it does something bad for Muslims, we must not desist from 

condemning it as an Indian Muslim. The old slogans of ‘fascism’ ‘secularism’ etc. 

have now become totally irrelevant, and again we must not fall in this trap, for 

which again, I am sure, these fictitious secular parties will try, because we are 

the only community who can be their easy prey as vote bank slaves.

Dr. Mustafa Kamal Sherwani
Chairman, All India Muslim Forum
537 CH/ 30, Sherwani Nagar
Sitapur Road, Lucknow, India
sherwanimk@yahoo.com
91-9919777909

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