Maulana Ilyas Khan Falahi, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Maharashtra, has expressed deep concern over the formal withdrawal of the 5 percent reservation for Muslims in the state.
In a statement, Maulana Ilyas Khan said that although the government may justify its decision on legal grounds, the principle of justice for all citizens in a constitutional democracy cannot be overlooked. He stated that decisions affecting the lives of millions of students and job seekers from the Muslim community should not be used for vote bank considerations or retaliatory politics.
Highlighting the socio-economic and educational backwardness of Muslims, he said a significant section of the community continues to face educational disadvantages, employment insecurity, and extremely low representation in government jobs. He alleged that there has been a persistent policy of keeping Muslims on the margins of the national mainstream.
The JIH Maharashtra chief further said that rejecting a long-pending policy without presenting any meaningful alternative sends a message of discrimination and exclusion. Constitutional values, he said, demand equality, dignity, and fraternity. He added that secularism requires the state to protect all communities from social and economic exclusion, particularly those that have been pushed to the margins.
Maulana Ilyas Khan demanded that the 5 percent reservation for Muslims in Maharashtra be reinstated.