A meeting of Muslim intellectuals and other leaders was convened at Mahboob Hussain Jigar Hall at Siasat office under the Chairmanship of Mr. Zahid Ali Khan, Editor, Siasat and Vice President of Elders’ Think Tank. The topic of the meeting was “Reservations for the Muslims. In his presidential address Mr. Zahid Ali Khan, told that ours is a multi-religious and multi-cultural country and this is its grandeur. It has unity in diversity. Its greatness is spread throughout the world. It is a tragedy that due to vote bank policy Muslim issues couldn’t be resolved. The situation has now changed. Instead of a single party Governance, local parties are getting established but in the portals of Parliament and Assemblies our representation is very less. There are many reasons for it although political parties give ticket to Muslim candidates but they don’t make him successful. The latest example is that of Mahboobangar Assembly Constituency.
The Muslim candidate of TRS was failed by various conspiracies. In this context, we are justified in demanding reservations for the Muslims. Reservations should be given to the Muslims in proportion to their population. So that our problems are solved. Our country can progress only when the Muslims become prosperous.
Prof. Kancha Ilaiah, Vice President of Elders’ Think Tank in his key note address told that the yardstick for the success of any Govt. in linked up with the prosperity of the Muslims Despite democratic system, Minorities are facing injustices. More than half of the population of our country consists of youths and their political censoriousness is getting awakened which is evident from the results of the elections of five states. He congratulated on the formation of Elders’ Think Tank and said that now Minorities will get an opportunity to get closer to other backward classes and joint representations could now be made.
Political reservations will be demanded according to the size of Muslim population. Maulana Hamid Mohammed Khan covered in detail the problems of Minorities and injustices meted out to them. He suggested that in the present context there is a need to make joint efforts. He assured all the cooperation from Movement for Peace and Justice.
Mr. Lal Jan Basha, former MP and member of Elders’ Think Tank told that Sachar Committee has already identified the issues pertaining to Minorities. Since there is no political will, issues are not getting resolved. Our voice is weak. It is not reaching the portals of policy making institutions. By giving reservations in political parties, the representation of the Muslims will increase.
Mr. Khaleequr Rahman, Congress leader and member of Elders’ Think Tank told that the Commission for reorganization of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies was constituted in 2008 under the Chairmanship of Justice Kuldip Singh, former judge of the Supreme Court of India. We had many high hopes with this commission but it neglected this important issue.
He pointed out that 25 years ago in A.P. We had 29 representation is very less. In this context, political reservation for Minorities becomes very important. Mr. Ved Kumar, member of Elders’ Think Tank told that the present era is the period of the progress of local political parties and many smaller states have been formed. If minorities get political reservations they will be prosperous.
Mr. Aliuddin Quadri, General Secretary, Elders’ Think Tank and Convenor, Telangana Elders’ Forum welcomes the gathering and highlighted the aims and objectives of the formation of Elders’ Think Tank.
He said that in this forum persons from various religions and political parties have been included so that a joint representation of the Minorities could be made to the Govt. for giving political reservations to the Muslims and other Minorities. Mr. Mohammed Abdul Ghafoor assured that he would take if the matter with the Govt. Mr. Maheshwar Reddy son of late Justice K. Madhava Reddy former Chief Justice of A.P. High Court said that Social Justice is very important in democratic setup.
Minorities will be prosperous only by adopting a judicious attitude to them. At the end of the meeting Major Syed Ghouse Mohiuddin Quadri, member Elders’ Think Tank proposed a vote of Thanks to all the participants of the meeting.
——Siasat News