Thaindian News

Patna, March 26 (IANS) Muslims in Bihar welcomed the Supreme Court decision to uphold the validity of four percent reservation for backward members of the Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh.
“It is a historical decision,” chief of a Patna based influential Muslim body Imarat Shariah Maulana Syed Nizamuddin said.

The Supreme Court’s order will have a long term effect for the development of Muslims, the most backward and poorest community in India, Nizamuddin, who is also the general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, told IANS.

He said that the government should provide reservation for 15 years to backward members of the Muslim community as well as other categories of Muslims.

Irshadul Haque, a leader of Dalit Muslims, said that reservation for Muslims, particularly backward members, will help empower them.

Maulana Anisur Rahman Qasmi, chairman of the Bihar Haj Committee, said that it was the need of the hour to provide reservation for Muslims for their development. “The Muslim community deserves reservation for their empowerment,” he said.

Gulam Ghaus, a legislator of the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal said that Muslims will have to fight for a similar reservation in other states. “Muslims are as backward and poor as Dalits in the country. Reservation is a tool to push them ahead,” he said.

According to the 2001 census, the Muslim population in Bihar was 16 percent of the state’s 83 million.