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The verdict of the Andhra Pradesh High Court quashing 4 per cent reservations to Muslims has evoked a strong reaction from the community. Even as several Muslim leaders expressed their dejection and disappointment over the judgment, the most influential Muslim political party in the state, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen took to the streets. Hundreds of party workers led by the seven MLAs of the party stormed the state secretariat shouting slogans against the government. They alleged that the government had failed in effectively presenting their case before the court leading to this setback.
"This is a great betrayal of faith. We will not keep quiet till we get justice", said Syed Ahmad Pasha Quadri, MIM legislator while sitting on dharna in the secretariat. He said MIM will step up its protests in the days to come if the government does not protect the interests of the community by ensuring the continuation of reservations.
Meanwhile MIM president and member of Lok Sabha from Hyderabad, Asaduddin Owaisi said that the high court judgment was a big set back for the Muslim community. "it is a huge disappointment to the Muslim boys and girls who were dreaming a better future because of this 4 per cent quota. Now what will happen to their aspirations".
Expressing his shock and surprise over the five judges' ruling that reservations to the backward Muslims was unconstitutional, Owaisi said that what ever objections the high court had raised in the first two cases against reservations to Muslims in 2004 and 2005 were corrected by the government in 2007. 'But still they are saying that Muslims can not get reservations. Now what should we do and where should we go", he asked.
He pointed out that in first case, the High Court had said that because of 5% reservations to Muslims the total quota in the state had crossed 50% which was against the Supreme Court directive. Secondly they said the government can not give reservations on the basis of religious and thirdly the criteria adopted by the government was not correct.
"The government took corrective measures on all the three issues. They reduced the quota to 4%, and instead of all Muslims restricted it to 15 socially and economically backward Muslim groups and the Backward Classes commission prepared a detailed report on the basis of which the reservations were given", he said. He questioned that when Muslims in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu can get the reservations why the Muslims in Andhra Pradesh can not get it. "What kind of contradiction and confusion is there between the court judgments", he said.
Criticizing the attitude of the Andhra Pradesh government, Owaisi took strong objections that a person like Sitaram Murthy was appointed advocate general to represent the government in this case when he had already represented the opponents of the reservation in the same case before the High Court. "Where was the need to appoint him", he said. "This is the level of dishonesty of the people in the corridors of power", he said.
He demanded that the Rosaiah government should clarify whether it was politically committed to the reservations for Muslims. "We have doubts about the sincerity and honesty of this government", he said. Owaisi rued that the adverse judgment of the High Court has deprived thousands of boys and girls of poor families of an opportunity to progress and develop. "I have received hundreds of SMSes with in minutes of the judgment asking me what will happen of their future. What should I tell them", he said. Owaisi threatened that MIM will launch agitation to secure the reservation for Muslim community.