Maharashtra govt to provide 5% quota for Muslims in education: Nawab Malik

The Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra will soon bring back five per cent reservation for Muslims in the state, Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said on Saturday (February 28). This bill will be tabled during the budget session of the Maharashtra assembly.

He said that ensuring quota for Muslims is part of the common minimum programme the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadis constituents — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress — had worked out before forming the government last year.

“We will try to give reservation to Muslims in education by the end of this (assembly) session. We will try to give 5 per cent reservation,” Malik said.

In June 2014, a few months before the assembly election, the then Congress-NCP dispensation had approved five per cent reservation for Muslims in government service and
education, and also issued an ordinance to that effect.

“The BJP-led government was formed in the state in October that year and the ordinance lapsed,” Malik said.

He added that the Bombay High Court had, however, given a green signal for giving quota to Muslims in education. But the previous Devendra Fadnavis government did not take any decision on that, he alleged.

(With inputs from agencies)