'Ruling party doesn't want Muslims to become IAS, IPS officers': AIMIM leader on quota cancellation

AIMIM leader and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel has criticised the BJP-led Maharashtra government over its decision to cancel five per cent quota for Muslims.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: AIMIM leader and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel on Wednesday slammed the BJP-led Maharashtra government over its decision to cancel five per cent quota for Muslims, saying the ruling party does not want youths from the minority community to become IAS and IPS officers.

They want Muslim youths to run autorickshaws, wash their cars and do such menial jobs only, he alleged.

The Devendra Fadnavis-led government has cancelled the five per cent reservation to members of the Muslim community in jobs and education. A Government Resolution (GR) was issued to this effect on Tuesday, as the previous ordinance about the five per cent reservation has lapsed and there is an interim court stay on that decision.

The previous Congress-NCP government had issued an ordinance to grant a 16 per cent quota to Marathas and five per cent to Muslims.

Talking to reporters in Chhatrpati Sambhajinagar over the government's decision, Jaleel said, "Leaders of the ruling party still have the mentality of keeping the Muslim community at a stage where its members wash their cars, fry 'pakodas' and drive autorickshaws. They have a similar attitude towards the Dalit community. They don't want the youth from the Muslim community to become IAS and IPS officers."

However, the (Muslim) community has become clever now and knows what to do, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) state president added.

He also appealed to the Muslim community to spend the amount of their 'zakat' (annual donation) on education instead of constructing religious places.

"The leadership should change its mentality because even if we don't get reservation, we will compete and the community knows how to educate their children. As Ramzan is near, the Muslim community should spend the zakat amount on education instead of using it for building religious places," he said.

"The Muslim community is like an organ in the human body. It (the organ) may not be perfect, but you cannot cut and throw it off...We cannot expect much from the government that tries to find terrorists in madrassas, which is a place to study the Quran and make people good human beings."