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: ----- 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. … URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/subversion-muslim-kerala/d/131191 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism