MINORITIES DEMAND QUOTA WITHIN QUOTA

The All India Milli Council demanded a quota within quota in the women’s reservation bill and announced to hold a protest march against the government’s move to pass the legislation in its present form. Manzoor Alam, General Secretary of the Council, said, “If passed, the Bill will amount to injustice against the women belonging to minorities and Dalits”. He said the proposed 33 per cent quota in legislatures for women would lead to further irregularity in the representation of various classes and groups in the country. “We demand quota within quota for Muslims, and other minorities, Dalits and OBCs (Other Backward Classes),” Alam said. He regretted that only 14 Muslim women have been elected in the 15 parliamentary elections held from 1952 to 2009.