Demand for reservation for minorities in Delhi is reasonable and genuine. Governments in the past have always acted on this issue in a dilly-dallying manner and have generally tried to make it a political issue. For some denying reservation is discrimination while for others who are opposed to it believe reservation is nothing but appeasement politics.
On the basis of Sachar Committee Report, the UPA-II had appointed Justice (retd) Ranganath Misra Commission. The Commission had recommended 15 per cent reservation for all minorities, including 10 per cent for the Muslim community, excluding the creamy layer. “There is no marked improvement in Muslim representation in Delhi government services despite many promises and schemes in the wake of Prime Minister’s 15-point programme, Sachar Committee Report of 2006 and Justice Misra Commission Report of 2007,” the annual report of DMC (Delhi Minorities Commission) said.
As per the report, out of a total of 80,880 police personnel in the Delhi police force, only 1.84 per cent are Muslims. Similarly, the Muslim representation in Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation Ltd, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation is 1 per cent, 0.53 per cent, 2.93 per cent and 1.28 per cent, respectively. Also Muslim percentage in Delhi Transport Department and Urban Development Department is 0.72 and 0.93, respectively.
In its report, the DMC has recommended to the Government of NCT of Delhi “to fully implement the recommendations of the Sachar Committee and Misra Commission reports in its area of jurisdiction”. “If need be, minority quota should be fixed and representation of minorities on the selection committees made mandatory”, the report says.
Talking to reporters after releasing the annual report, the Chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission said that after witnessing dismal and poor representation of Muslims in Delhi government services, last year on March 20, he wrote a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to reserve 15 per cent of jobs for the minorities, including 10 per cent for Muslims but the Chief Minister has not replied till date.
According to A C Michael, Former Member of Delhi Minorities Commission, “There is no doubt in our country even after over 70 years of independence many sections of our people have still not raised to a level that we can proudly state that all Indians are equal. Reservations for socially and economically backward classes were there even before independence. After independence, these reservations continued and many more classifications were introduced. Various governments and political parties in the past have brought up this issue of reservation on the basis of religion but I am not very sure if they have been successful in implementing them.”
John Dayal, a noted social and human rights activist, said, “I am strong supporter of continued reservations for Dalits and Tribals in government jobs, educational institutions and for financial support for education, competitive examinations and other areas where the self-styled upper castes or those with a social-cultural entitlement currently have a social and political advantage. The Dalits in particular have suffered the basic denial of human dignity and equality in a systemic way for over 3,000 years. Till they are accepted as equals, not just in formal citizenship, but in social reality, this ground leveller must continue. The case of the Tribals, who have ethnic and land-connected identifies, need protection from the rapid erosion of their rights to land, water and forests by entrenched cry capitalism and political greed. The case of religious minorities is different. Theirs is a situation of political denial for one or two minorities by the regime of the day. This has to be fought till just citizenship is restored, as guaranteed in the Constitution.”
Dayal added, “There is need for support systems to groom suitable candidates to take competitive examinations and other selection methods on a level playing field. With government support for their rigorous training to succeed in all levels of competitive selection processes, this can be done. But religion-based reservation can be very counterproductive in the light of available opportunities and the demography of religious minorities. We have seen in the case of delimitation of constituencies, a statutory process has been abused to keep out Muslim presence in particular from many constituencies where they have a natural preponderance, if not an absolute majority. These are termed women’s seats at the Panchayati level, or Dalit seats at the assembly and parliamentary level, effectively ruling out a Muslim candidate, much less a Muslim elected to office. It will very adversely impact Christians and Sikhs too, cutting down their existing numbers in office.”
“There is no doubt that Muslims are one of the most marginalised religious minorities in India. Reports of Sachar Committee, Ranganath Misra Commission, NSSO data, etc. have testified that Muslims in India are living in a very delicate and jeopardised situation. Their representation in Government jobs, startups, Parliament, Assemblies, etc. are very marginal. Muslims are deprived of higher education and mark a very low representation there as well. We all know that in a democracy it is very important that all sections of the society must be uplifted in order to create a just and egalitarian society. If a particular community is deprived and jeopardised, the state must help elevate them,” said Dr. Maskoor Ahmad Usmani, former President of Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union.
“Dr. Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution, propagated the idea of proportionate representation. He was adamant that without equal representation in institutions and Parliament, marginalised communities could not be emancipated. That is one reason that affirmative action has been focused in the Constitution but that is based on caste. Looking at the contemporary scenario of Muslims in India, I strongly support the idea of minority reservation tabled by Delhi Minority Commission Chairman Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan. I not only seek 15% reservation to minorities and 10% for Muslims, rather I would like the government to do the same on pro-rata basis,” said Dr. Usmani.