BENGALURU: Writers, lawyers and academics hit out at the government after its decision to scrap reservations for Muslims under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. During an event organised by the All India Students’ Association (AISA), the participants highlighted how the decision will impact the community, especially Muslim girls, who have been struggling to get a good education.
“Muslim girls are fighting against all odds for education, and are working hard to become bureaucrats and pursuing various options as careers. After the reservation is scrapped, and they are brought under the EWS category, it is equivalent to fettering their education opportunities,” said writer Dr K Sharifa.
National president of All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice (AILAJ), Maitreyi Krishnan called the decision an “attack” on the Constitution. “This move will exacerbate inequality and vulnerability of the minorities and the oppressed,” she said, adding that the government has distorted the reservation policy.
The decision to give Muslims reservations was taken after scientific evaluations and based on the recommendations of the Havanur Commission report, Chinnappa Reddy report and the Sachar Committee report.
They also criticised the National Education Policy (NEP) for allegedly being repressive towards minorities. “The recent actions of the government subverts social justice, and continues to be exclusionary by slashing scholarships of PhD students from the minority community in Karnataka and suspending Maulana Azad National Fellowship at the Centre to marginalise the Backward Classes and deny them access to equal and quality education,” said Syed Junaid, a member of AISA.