Govt committed to 4 pc Muslim quota: Rosaiah

Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Saturday assured Muslims that the government was committed to providing four per cent reservations to Muslim Minorities in government jobs and educational institutions and if necessary the government will take the Centre’s help in achieving this.

The Chief Minister was speaking to media persons at Prakasam Hall in Gandhi Bhavan at a meeting organised by the Pradesh Congress Committee.

He said that AICC President and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has assured all help to the State in clearing the legal hurdles over the providing of reservations to Muslims. He said that Mrs Sonia Gandhi was very particular that the party stood by its poll promise to the Minorities.

He assured Muslims that the State Government had engaged best of advocates to argue the state's case before the Supreme Court. He also said that the Government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the quota for the backward among Muslims continued unhindered in the new academic year.

''If necessary, we will take the Centre's help to overcome the legal hurdles,'' he said and expressed the hope that the Apex Court would grant a stay on the order of the High Court which had quashed the relevant state law.

Pradesh Congress President D Srinivas said the state Congress would take up with the party high command the need for amending the Constitution to ensure reservation for the backward among Muslim minorities.

Steps would be taken early to ensure that the students did not lose the benefit of reservation in the new academic year, he said.