Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 21, 2010:
Nationwide campaign for Muslims reservation gaining momentum in the state as hundreds took out a motor rally carried out at Moirang in Bishnupur district today showing solidarity to the nationwide campaign.
Meanwhile, council of ministers of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government will discuss on the reservation for the Muslim community in the state tomorrow in a cabinet meeting to be chair by the Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh, an official source said today.
The Popular Front of India, Manipur unit organised the rally of the Muslim community in the state.
It kicked start from Kwakta village and after covering the streets at Moirang, the rally converged at the original place where a meeting was followed by.
Muslim community across the country under the banner of Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment (JCMOE), formed recently for the sole purpose of Muslim reservation, is demanding formal recognition of the Muslim community as a Backward Class in the light of the findings and recommendations of the Sachar Committee and Ranganath Mishra Commission, as already done by some states like Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
In a leaflet distributed during the rally, the Popular Front of India is urging "immediate publication of the Mishra Commission Report, full implementation of its basic recommendations, namely, 15% reservation for the minorities, with 10% exclusively for the Muslims, along with the unutilized portion of the other 5%, and the deletion of para 3 of the Constitution (SC) Order 1950, issued under Article 341 of the Constitution for the inclusion of Muslim and Christian Dalits in the SC List".
The front said the motor rally organised today is a part of the series of programmes to be launched during the month of February and March.
Speaking at the meeting held at the concluding part of the rally, leaders and representatives of religious organizations and politicians urged that Muslims should be given reservation not as a religious minority but as a backward class.
Muslim community today is demanding reservation as a Backward Class, as a deprived group, who is almost as backward as the SC/ST and more backward than the non-Muslim OBCs, they lamented.
He also demanded definition of Creamy Layer in a realistic manner and its revision every 10 year in order to achieve the real purpose of reservation.
The leaflet also appealed to all secular political parties to exert due pressure on the government for urgent action on the recommendations of the Sachar and Mishra Reports.