Mulayam goes soft on Muslim quota to woo upper castes

December 28, 2012

MulayamNew Delhi, December 28: Samajwadi Party has asked the Centre to facilitate "Muslim quota", betraying concern that a strident party stamp on minority politics can neutralize its fledgling attempts to bait upper castes and OBCs with 'promotion quota'.

SP leader Ramgopal Yadav said, "We will pass a resolution in UP assembly to ask the Centre to amend the Constitution to allow reservation for Muslims in jobs and education." He said the Supreme Court has repeatedly struck down religion-based quota like in Andhra Pradesh. "It is best done by tweaking the Constitution," he told TOI.

Ostensibly to ensure an iron-clad quota law, Mulayam Singh Yadav's caution to pass the buck to the Centre has surprised observers in view of his history of muscular minority politics. It is seen as realpolitik from the wily Yadav chieftain who may see the revived stridency on Muslim quota as a red rag for upper castes and non-Yadav backwards.

The Yadav camp is aggressively opposing reservation in promotions for SCs/STs in the hope that it would polarize upper castes and backwards in its favour — non-dalits are opposed to the Centre's move to restore quota. Samajwadis stalled the quota bill in the winter session of Parliament.

SP had all but forgotten its poll promise to provide 18% quota for Muslims but was forced to revive it after a vicious assault from bete noire Mayawati. In an interview to TOI last week, the BSP supremo accused Mulayam of lip service to social groups, saying the Akhilesh Yadav regime had done nothing to enact Muslim quota in nine months in power.

Though forced to react on an issue concerning its core vote base, Samajwadi camp is treading carefully. The move to pass an assembly resolution seems aimed at making minority quota appear a demand cutting across the secular spectrum that includes BSP and Congress.

The collective political stamp would dilute Samajwadi authorship on Muslim reservation and may soften the resultant anger among upper castes and backwards.

The apprehension over Hindu reaction to minority quota stems from the failure of Congress in UP polls this year. Rahul Gandhi led an aggressive campaign by highlighting the centrally-moved 4.5% sub-quota for Muslim OBCs. The party finished poorly, failing to win upper castes while triggering a backlash from backwards who saw the sub-quota as eating into their 27% share.

Mayawati's gambit behind attacking SP on minority quota appeared aimed at forcing 'Maulana Mulayam' to take an aggressive stance on the issue that would stymie his newly-attempted appeal among upper castes and sections of Hindu backwards.


Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 31,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 31: Kerala Chief

Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the government has collected the details of those who took part from the state in recent religious congregations in Nizamuddin and Malaysia and it needs to be examined if they have any health issues.

"Police have already made detailed examination in this regard. Thelist of participants have been given through respectivedistrictcollectors. Necessary precautions will be made in the concerned districts in this regard," Vijayan told reporters here.

The government has the exact number of participants and thedetails of the districts they are hailing from, he said.

Meanwhile, Pathananthitta police said they have identified 6 persons in the district in connection with the Nizamuddin congregation.

"Three persons had taken part in the congregation, of them one hadalready died. One person is in quarantine in the district while theother is located now in Thiruvananrhapuram," a senior police officialtold PTI.

The others are not participants but had travelled to Delhi along with them, he said.

In the nearby Alappuzha district, three persons have been identified in connection with the congregation, police said.

"They have been in quarantine and under the surveillance of thehealth department since they have reached back the state from Delhi," another official said.

Several people, who had attended the religious congregation at Nizamuddin in the national capital are suspected to be having symptoms of Covid19, even as at least 24 have tested positive.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
July 26,2020

New Delhi, Jul 26: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday saluted the valour and grit of the Indian soldiers on the occasion of 21st anniversary of the 'Kargil Vijay Diwas'.

Shah took to Twitter and said that 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' is a symbol of India's proud, valour and steadfast leadership.

"Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of India's proud, valor and steadfast leadership. I bow to the soldiers who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the inaccessible hills of Kargil and waved the tricolor there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India, who are dedicated to protecting the motherland," Shah tweeted (translated from Hindi)
The country is celebrating the anniversary of the 'Kargil Vijay Diwas'.

The Indian armed forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999. Since then, the day is celebrated as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay.

The day marks the victory of Indian soldiers in recapturing the mountain heights that were occupied by the Pakistani Army on July 26, 1999, known as the Kargil War. 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 8,2020

New Delhi, May 8: The Supreme Court on Friday suggested that states should consider indirect sale and home delivery of liquor as per its statute and law to avoid crowding at liquor shops amid the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan refused to pass any orders on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking clarity on the sale of liquor and to ensure social distancing while it is being sold in liquor shops during the lockdown.

"We will not pass any order but the states should consider indirect sale/home delivery of liquor to maintain social distancing norms and standards," Justice Ashok Bhushan said while disposing of the petition.

The PIL, filed by one Sai Deepak, sought directions for closure of liquor shops for failing to enforce social distancing, which is essential to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The petitioner told the apex court that he only wants that the life of common people is not affected because of crowding at liquor shops during COVID-19.

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, another judge in the bench, said that discussion on home delivery is already going on.

The top court, after hearing the petition complaining about flouting of safety norms at liquor shops, observed that it cannot pass any orders to different states but they should consider online sale and home delivery of liquor.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.