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Aligarh: A meeting of intellectuals was organised by Parcham Party of India on November 27 here at Conference Hall, Civil Lines. The party had also organised a public meeting at Upper Fort, the same day. The purpose was to mobilise public opinion and to press the Mulayam Singh government to make legal provision for the reservation to Muslims in the government jobs. A resolution was passed in the meeting of intellectuals which was later endorsed by the public meeting.

The resolution said that there was growing concern among intelligentsia and Muslim masses that Muslims are still educationally, economically and socially backward and deprived community of the country even after nearly six decades of Independence. In fact, the condition of Muslims has worsened. They have been marginalized in every sphere of life. Their representation in public administration, security forces and judiciary and public sector undertaking is negligible and in central and state legislatures their presence is marginal and ineffective.

To check their plight, there should be statutory provision of reservation for Muslims in various government and public sector employment, admissions to educational institutions, allotment of fair price shops, dealerships of PDS, LPG connections, petrol pumps and other sops, which are available to other groups notified under the categories of reservation.

Although a section of Muslims have been included in the quota of 27 percent reservation for OBC, however, even these Muslims are not getting their due share of 8.44 percent representation under OBC category. Thus, separate reservation of Muslims in various sectors of national life is indispensable for the upliftment of Muslims. «