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Modi’s claims on Muslim quota not factual: Experts

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims about reservation benefits enjoyed by Muslims, especially the community in Karnataka, fall flat on their face, experts said.

Many of the PM’s allegations sound conspiratorial. For instance, the claim by Modi in a public meeting on April 23 in Tonk-Sawai Madhopur Lok Sabha segment in Rajasthan.

He had accused the Congress of grabbing the reservation of SCs (Scheduled Castes), STs (Scheduled Tribe) and OBCs (Other Backward Classes) and giving it to Muslims, which never happened.

On April 29, Modi in a poll speech in Hyderabad declared he would not allow “reservation to Muslims along religious lines” as long as he is alive, mentioning the 2B sub-category quota enjoyed by Muslims in Karnataka.

On the same day, Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) Hansraj Ahir, a former ministerial colleague of Modi, issued a press release, demanding an answer from Karnataka Chief Secretary about the 2B sub-category.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back at the PM, accusing him of lying while calling the press note politically motivated.

‘Commissions suggest quota not govts’ Mysore University political science professor Muzaffar Assadi and former commissioner of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC) Sanaullah pointed out that a State government could provide quota benefits to a community only if recommended by the backward class commission by way of a report.

Moreover, in the Indira Sahani vs Union of India case of 1992, the Supreme Court (SC) held that only commissions can recommend reservation for communities through holistic reports that included ethno-graphic studies, data and secondary sources.

The experts pointed out that there was historical precedent for Muslims being categorized as backward, which was then affirmed by several commissions.

They added that the quota benefits were given to Muslims, like other communities, based on social and educational backwardness and not along religious lines.

Assadi pointed out that 17 Muslim castes, including Kasai, Kasab, Nadaf and Pinjaras came under category 1 (most backward).

Another 19 Muslim castes like Ataris and Lohars came under Category 2A (Relatively More Backward).

The rest of the Muslims were given four per cent reservation under 2B. The categories were made by the Chinnappa Reddy Commission in 1988.

“Right from 1874, even prior to the Miller’s Commission, the old princely state (Mysore) declared Muslims as part of the depressed classes, which are nothing but backward classes. Subsequently, in 1892, in the police department, there was some reservation given to Muslims,” Assadi said.

“Post 47’, Kaka Kalekar and Mandal Commission, Sachar Committee and Ranganath Mishra Committee identified Muslims as backward classes. The Mandal Commission treated them as OBCs after collecting materials from different states,” he added.

HISTORICAL PRECEDENT: STATE COMMUNITY LABELED MARGINALISED

• 1874: Mysore princely state passes first reservation order, includes Muslims
• 1918 – 1921: Leslie Miller’s Commission declares Muslim ‘Backward Class’
• (Post-Independence) 1961 – 1962: R Nagana Gowda Commission recommends quota for Muslims, names 10 Muslim castes as ‘Most Backward’ but report put on backburner
• 1977: Government Order implements LG Havanur Commission report that recommended Muslims be included in OBC list (Quota for community now functional but is challenged in courts multiple times)
• 1984: Venkataswamy Commission formed on SC direction, report includes Muslims but excludes some Lingayats, Vokkaligas, Janata Party State government rejects it
• 1988: O Chinnappa Reddy Commission affirms Muslim status as OBCs and finalises OBC sub-categories as we know them today
• 1994: Congress CM Veerappa Moily finalizes six per cent quota for Muslims but is hindered by SC capping reservations at 50 per cent Next Janata Dal State government led by HD Deve Gowda fixes four per cent reservation for Muslims
• March 2023: BJP CM Basavaraja Bommai scraps 2B sub-category, distributes two per cent each to Lingayats and Vokkaligas, moves Muslims to Economically Weaker Sections alongside forward castes
• April 2023: SC raps Bommai government over changes, causes CM to go back to original reservation matrix