CPM agrees to accept quota for Muslims
Kolkata, Feb. 5: The central committee of the CPI(M) on Friday agreed in principle to accept quotas for Muslims in government jobs and education as recommended by the Ranganath Mishra panel. But the Marxist party, which had been averse to reservations on
the basis of religion, stressed that the socio-economic criteria will be the yardstick for the party’s acceptance of it.
Significantly, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat in his introductory speech on Thursday has also indicated that the party would seek reservation for backward sub-groups among Muslims and minorities and accordingly, the CPI(M) would mount pressure on UPA government to amend the Constitution for the quota.
After weighing pros and cons over the sensitive issue, the party accepted the socio-economic criterion for quota eligibility reflected in the CPI(M)’s worry that backing reservation for Muslims as a whole would be seen as a departure from its traditional position on the "creamy layer".
"Since the Mandal Commission days, we have been asking for special provisions for the progress of socially and economically backward sections excluding their creamy layers. We can consider reservation for those who live below the poverty line (among Muslims),’’ the central committee member said, adding that the special provision should be extended to the linguistic minorities too. Interestingly, after the Sachar committee reported on Muslim backwardness, the CPI(M) had time and again clamoured quotas for dalits and the OBCs among Muslims, a stand in sync with the party’s "class-based politics".
A section of party central committee members, particularly from Bengal, feel that reservation for all Muslims, who make up over 25 per cent of Bengal’s population, would raise the total quota volume to unmanageable levels and might trigger a Hindu backlash. "Already a section of lower caste Hindus are discontent with Mamata for playing the minority card and are coming back to us. So we need to be a bit cautious," a CPI(M) state committee member said.
SUBRATA CHATTOPADHYAY
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