Implement quota for Muslims: AIUMM

"Instead of writing to the Prime Minister, Mayawati should implement 8.44 per cent reservation for Muslims from within 27 per cent quota for backwards," All India United Muslim Morcha (AIUMM) national president M A Siddiqui told reporters here.

He said if the state government does not implement reservation for Muslims, then the Chief Minister`s letter "is nothing more than fake sympathy and a political move ahead of the upcoming UP Assembly polls. Mayawati wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on September 17 asking for constitutional amendment to provide reservation to Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions. "In order to provide reservation to Muslims so as to give them opportunities in accordance with their population, consideration can be given for required provision in the Constitution through an amendment on which my government is committed to provide complete support," Mayawati had said in her letter.

Siddiqui said it was unfortunate that "so called secular parties" had always considered Muslims their vote bank and warned that the minority community will not tolerate this any more. Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan has also said that Mayawati`s letter to the Prime Minister demanding reservation to Muslims was an "insult" to the community and just a political gimmick ahead of the 2012 Assembly polls.