Thaindian News

New Delhi, Mar 19 (ANI): Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khurshid on Saturday said that reservation would be for all the minorities and not just for Muslims.

While attending a rally on water conservation in the India’s national capital, Khurshid said the issue of reservation for minorities does not concern Muslims alone.

“There wont be any Muslim reservation in this country. The reservation will be for the minorities only. And we know that there are other minorities also. But 85 percent of the minorities are Muslims. This is a fact,” Khurshid told reporters, while attending a rally on water conservation here.

“So when there will be reservation for minorities, then there is no doubt that 85 percent of the advantage will also go to Muslims. This is again a fact,” he added.

Khurshid also stated that reservation would be given on the basis of backwardness and not just on the basis of caste or creed.

He further said that a proper decision would be taken only after there is a common consensus on the percentage they deserve through the route of OBCs (Other Backward Castes).

The Minister also pointed out on the reservations that Muslims and other minorities have got in the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

There has been a call for reservations for Muslims in government jobs and education by various Muslim groups.

The demands sprang up after the Ranganath Mishra Commission enquiring the status of minorities recommended reservation for minorities in government jobs and education last year.

It recommended ten percent reservation for Muslims and five percent reservation for other minorities like the Christians and Sikhs.

Tamil Nadu has 3.5 percent reservation for Muslims within 27 percent quota earmarked for backward castes, while Andhra Pradesh has four percent reservation for Muslims. (ANI)