NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, calling on the Union Government to provide reservation to Muslims in proportion to their population.
In her letter, Mayawati said that Muslims needed reservation, as they were socially backward, and required “special attention”.
She asked the government to amend, if necessary, the constitution to give the benefits of reservation to the Muslims, and offered all the support of the BSP to make it possible. Mayawati called for an increase in opportunities in the field of education, employment and the other areas of life, for the progress of minorities, especially the Muslims.
“In the constitution, foundation of opportunities to the people of all religions for progress has been laid. Though religious minorities, especially Muslims, has huge population, they were backward even after 64 years of the Independence,” she added. The Sachar Committee had also pointed out this facet in the report, Mayawati said.
She also stated that after the due consideration, the Sachar Committee had given several suggestions for the welfare and betterment of the minorities, including encouragement to educational opportunities, economic activities and proper participation in employment, improvement in lifestyle of the minority communities, besides control and prevention of communalism and violence.
Mayawati also requested the Prime Minister to give due consideration to the issue of utmost importance for the betterment of the minorities especially Muslims on a priority basis.