Amid the ongoing controversy on reservation for minorities, Justice Rajinder Sachar, who headed the panel to prepare a report on the socio-economic and educational status Muslims, said that the government was trying to “befool” minorities by promising reservation at the time of elections.
Justice Sachar further asserted that instead of making promises to give reservation, the government and its ministers should focus on basic issues of improving administration and governance along with strengthening the education system for backward section of minority communities.
“Such promises will not help the backward section of minorities. It is like befooling them.
“These people are making tall claims just to win elections,” Justice Sachar told Deccan Herald.
Justice Sachar stressed that “even if you provide reservation the backward sections of minorities will not benefit from it because they are not in a condition to avail it. So, the government should focus on strengthening their education system and provide good governance”.
Justice Sachar’s comments come at a time when two Union ministers –Salman Khurshid and Beni Prasad Verma — invited the Election Commission’s wrath for promising quota to Muslims, if Congress comes to power in Uttar Pradesh. Muslims in Uttar Pradesh constitute 18 per cent of the state’s population.
First, Election Commission served notice to Khurshid saying that his remarks violated of model code of conduct.
Few days after being served notice by poll panel, Khurshid wrote a letter to the Commission expressing regret over his remarks on minority sub-quota. Even as before dust could settle over the Khurshid controversy Verma made remarks on the same lines while campaigning in UP.
He has also been given a notice by poll panel. The Commission is yet to get his reply. Wajahat Habibullah, chairperson of National Commission for Minorities has preferred to react cautiously on whole episode related to minority reservation.
“Since the matter is between the minister concerned and Election Commission, so, it would not be appropriate for me to comment,” Habibullah told this newspaper.
When asked to give his response to ministers being served notice by the poll panel on the issue, he said: “If the Election Commission has given a notice then it must have done within the purview of its rights”.