THE Maharashtra Government has cancelled the five per cent reservation to members of the Muslim community in jobs and education. A Government Resolution (GR) was issued to this effect on Tuesday, as the previous ordinance about the five per cent reservation has lapsed and there is an interim court stay on that decision. The previous Congress-NCP Government had issued an ordinance to grant a 16 per cent quota to Marathas and five per cent to Muslims. As per the new GR, all previous decisions and the ordinance related to the five per cent reservation in Government, semi-Government jobs and educational institutions for the socially and educationally backward Muslim group included under the Special Backward Category (A) have been cancelled.

 

The Government has cancelled the earlier decisions and circulars from 2014 and stopped issuing caste and non-creamy layer certificates to Muslims in the Special Backward Category, the new order said. The Opposition termed the Maharashtra Government’s decision as “anti-minority”. Former State Congress working committee member Naseem Khan alleged that the ruling Mahayuti coalition had committed an injustice by taking such a step, while NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the BJP doesn’t value Muslim leaders of the party and its allies.