‘Against Any Reservation Based On Religion’: Devendra Fadnavis To Oppose 5 Per Cent Muslim Reservation In Maharashtra

The proposed 5 per cent reservation for Muslims by Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra will be opposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reports NDTV.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday (23 February) said, "We oppose the Muslim reservation or any reservation which is given on the basis of religion."

"Any reservation which is against the Constitution needs to be opposed. Muslim reservation is being given on the basis of religion. So, we will be opposing this reservation as it is anti-Constitutional. We will not support anything which is anti-constitutional," he was quoted by the report as saying.

It should be noted that Article 15 of Constitution of India provides for prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. While, Art 15(4) enables State to make special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

The demand for special reservation for Muslims has been pending for a very long time and MVA government had promised 5 per cent reservation to the Muslims. According to Congress leader Aslam Shaikh, the state government will soon bring Muslim reservation under the agreed common minimum programme.

The MVA is an alliance of The Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Indian National Congress led by Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.