AP Assembly adopts Muslim quota Bill

Hyderabad, July 23 (UNI) Amid Opposition from the BJP and the AIMIM, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly tonight adopted the Bill to provide four per cent reservation for Backward Classes among Muslims in education and government jobs.

The House adopted by voice vote the Bill moved by Backward Classes Welfare Minister M Mukesh providing for reservation to socially and educationally backward classes among Muslims.

IMIM Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi opposed the Bill for scaling down the reservation by one per cent to four per cent and dividing the Muslim community by introducing ''unislamic'' caste system for the purpose of reservation.

BJP Floor Leader G Kishan Reddy found fault with the state government for taking up the Bill when the matter was sub-judice before the Supreme Court and even after the High Court had struck down its earlier moves to provide quota as ''unconstitutional.'' The House also adopted the Bill piloted by Endowments Minister J Ratnakar Rao empowering the state to prohibit propogation of religion in places of worship or prayer other than the religion traditionally practiced at such place.

While the BJP supported the bill, the AIMIM, CPI, CPI(M) opposed it as it was allegedly against the spirit of secularism enshrined in the Constitution and pressed in vain for referring the Bill to the Select Committee.

The House also adopted the bills to regulate supply, distribution and sale of cotton seeds, to amend the Andhra Pradesh Payment of Salaries and Pension, removal of Disqualification Act to provide for salaries to Members of the Council on par with the MLAs, among others.

UNI