Quota for Muslims: Owaisi advises PM to read Constitution

Hyderabad:  With Prime Minister Narendra Modi ruling out reservation for the Muslims, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday advised him to read the Constitution of India.

"If you can't understand the Constitution, I request you to take the help of somebody who knows it," the Hyderabad MP told an election rally of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) here.

Speaking hours after Modi addressed a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Hyderabad, Owaisi said the Prime Minister should read Article 15 and 16 of the Constitution.

The AIMIM chief reminded Modi that his party's government in Karnataka continued the reservation for Muslims. "In Maharashtra you are giving reservation to Marathas. Is it allowed?" he said.

"You can give reservation to Marathas, Jats and Gujjars but not to Muslims. As the Prime Minister you can't discriminate against one community. You have taken oath on the Constitution and you are the Prime Minister of India, which also has Muslims."

The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad said while Muslims cannot be given reservation on the basis of religion, they can be extended this benefit on the basis of their social and educational backwardness.

He also advised Modi to go through Sacchar Commission, Mishra Commission and Sudheer Committee reports which amply make it clear that Muslims are the most backward socially and educationally after the Dalits.

"Our backwardness is proved but it is another matter that you don't want to accept it. You merely make tall claims of 'sab ka sath, sab ka vikas'," he said.

Owaisi said the AIMIM would make all efforts to see that socially and economically backwards among the Muslims get reservation not just in Telangana and Maharashtra but all over the country.

Addressing a BJP election rally in Hyderabad on Monday night, Modi said minority reservation amounts to an act of treason and those making attempts are insulting the framers of the Constitution.