Hyderabad, May 25: Telangana government advisor Mohammed Shabbir Ali has warned that he would file a contempt of court case if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah continued to mislead the country over Muslim reservations.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister, the senior Congress leader reiterated that the reservation given to Muslims in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is not based on religion.
He reminded Modi that as the Prime Minister, he represents all 140 crore people, irrespective of their religion or caste.
“Your speeches suggest a deliberate anti-Muslim stance to lure voters from other communities. By creating a false impression that Muslims have snatched the rights of other communities, you are harming the poorest Muslim families who are socially, economically and educationally backward,” he said.
The former minister urged Modi to speak the truth and refrain from spreading falsehoods that harm the socio-economic fabric of the nation.
Shabbir reminded Modi and Amit Shah that the issue was before the Supreme Court, and questioned how Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah could talk about abolishing such reservations.
Shabbir warned that if they continue to make such speeches, he would file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court.
He said he would also send the court’s directives and government orders regarding Muslim reservations to Modi.
He accused both Modi and Shah of making misleading statements about Muslim reservations to create communal tension.
He refuted their claims that the 4 percent Muslim reservation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh was based on religion and unconstitutional. He alleged Modi and Shah were spreading misinformation regarding the 4 percent Muslim reservation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Recalling that he has been involved in the process of Muslim reservation since 1989, he reiterated that Muslim reservation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh was not given on the basis of religion.
The Congress leader explained that reservation in the then united Andhra Pradesh was provided after a detailed study. He said only 14 identified groups among the poorest Muslims were eligible for the quota, while the majority of other groups were excluded.
He also clarified that the 4 percent Muslim quota was not created by reducing the reservations for the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), or Other Backward Classes (OBCs) communities as alleged by Modi and Shah.
He also pointed out that 4 percent Muslim reservation was given to 14 economically and socially backward groups among Muslims, as identified by the Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Commission.
“The reservations were given on recommendations from the Backward Classes Commission, creating a separate category ‘E’ among BCs. This 4% quota benefits the poorest of poor Muslims. Excluded groups include Syed, Moghal, Pathans, Irani, Bohra and others,” he said.
Shabbir also mentioned that socially and economically weaker groups practising professions like barber, butcher, stone-crusher, washermen, etc. were included in the BC-E group.
“The 4 percent reservation under BC-E category was given by passing a legislation in Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Council. By calling the Muslim quota unconstitutional, you are showing disrespect to the Legislature,” he wrote.
Stating that the case relating to Muslim reservation is pending in the Supreme Court, he accused Modi and Shah of attempting to influence the case with their misleading statement.
He said as a party involved in the case, he can initiate legal action if they continued to make such statements.
