Subversion of Muslim Reservation in Kerala
By
Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam
27
November 2023
Reservation
is the right of Aspiring Younger Sections of Muslims. Reservation for
differently abled could be accommodated without affecting Muslim reservation.
If turns of 26 and 76 replaced with 27 and 77 this injustice could be solved
without any problem. Instead of ensuring justice for all communities, the
current Kerala government is using the social fault lines for its political
demands. Any doctoring of reservation policies in the system will affect an
aspiring younger generation.
Major
points:
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1. The notification by the state government
giving four percentage special reservation for the differently-abled, dated
31.10.2019 and 1.10.2023 will reduce the reservation allotted for Muslims
2. According to the Narendran Commission of
2001, 7383 more posts were recommended to meet the existing 12 percentage
reservation for Muslims in the state
3. Although no caste census was taken after
1931, the Muslim population is widely known.
4. Muslim population in the state is 26.6
percentage according to the 2011 census.
5.
Demand is strong from the Muslim community to revise the quota numbers to
reflect the Muslim's increasing population in the state.
-----
Denial
of benefits due to backward Muslims is becoming a running story in Kerala. The
State Minority Department, founded on the recommendation of the Rajinder Singh
Sachar Committee to study the backwardness of minorities in Kerala, has unscientifically
and illogically brought down changes leading to injustice. The benefits of
welfare schemes of the State Minority Development Committee have been
drastically reduced in recent times.
The
notification by the state government giving four percentage special reservation
for the differently-abled, dated 31.10.2019 and 1.10.2023 will reduce the
reservation allotted for Muslims. As per these two rulings reservation for
Muslims will be reduced to 16 and 20 percentage of the total allotted
reservation. Every year, the Kerala Public Service Commission appoints around
30,000 people, out of which Muslims are eligible for around 3600 appointments.
As per the new rule, the turns of 26 and 76 are lost to Muslims, thus
effectively losing around 700 posts for Muslims. The 4-percentage quota for the
differently abled will be carved out from the existing quota for minorities,
not from the General List. This will dent the aspiration of many young Muslims
striving for upper social mobility.
According
to Narendran Commission of 2001, 7383 more posts were recommended to meet the
existing 12 percentage reservation for Muslims in the state. In 2008 Paloli
Committee adopted this suggestion. This promise was included in the election
manifestos of both the Congress-led coalition and the CPI M-led coalition. The
left government ruling the state in their second term has not taken any steps
to fulfil this poll promise.
As per
the existing rules, if a list is published for appointment, 12 percentage
quotas should be allotted for Muslims. If unfilled, it will be carried over to
two immediate years adding to the quota available for that year. If not filled,
the quota for a community will be given to other reserved categories. Kerala
Public Services Commission has defied this rule by denying carrying-over. Many
appoints for Arabic posts and the Waqf Board have been lost due to this policy.
This tinkering of Muslim reservation should be read in the background of more
than 10,000 posts due to Muslims being frozen as backlogs.
As per
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 initially 3 percentage was
earmarked as the special quota for the differently-abled sections. This later
was raised to 4 percentage. As per 3 percentage reservation in the 100-rotation
table they were given turns of 1A, 34A, and 67A. when this addition to
reservation breached Supreme Court instructed a 50-percentage upper cap for
reservation, this was reviewed. It should be remembered as per the 103
Constitutional Amendment Act; this upper cap is not applicable for reservations
for backward classes from upper castes.
In
2014, as per amended rules, 4 percentage was allotted to the differently-abled
sections. This rule was issued by Kerala State Social Justice Department as
Article 34 of the act on 31.10.2019. This amended rule effectively further
reduces Muslim reservation.
12
percentage quotas were looted to Muslims as per four decades old statics.
Although no caste census was taken after 1931, the Muslim population is widely
known. The Muslim population in the state is 26.6 percentage according to the
2011 census. Demand is strong from the Muslim community to revise the quota
numbers to reflect the Muslims increasing population in the state.
In
Kerala, 50 percentage has been allotted for all OBC, SC, and ST sections. In
all 40 OBC reservations, quotas have been fixed like this: 14 Ezhava, 12
Muslims, 4 Catholics, 3 Vishwakarma, 1 Nadar, 1 Dheevara3 OBC. In the
reservation roster of 100, turns of 6, 16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 76, 86,96 have been
allocated for Muslims. If turns of 26 and 76 is removed it will practically
cause 20 percentage diminishing in the reservation for Muslims.
Reservation
for differently abled could be accommodated without affecting Muslim
reservation. If turns of 26 and 76 replaced with 27 and 77 this injustice could
be solved without any problem. Instead of ensuring justice for all communities,
the current Kerala government is using the social fault lines for its political
demands. Any doctoring of reservation policies in the system will affect an aspiring
younger generation.
…
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