Government in a cleft stick on Muslim reservation

We are yet to take a view on Ranganath Misra report, says Khursheed
The Muslim demand for a separate 10 per cent quota in education and jobs, as recommended by the Ranganath Misra Commission, has placed the government in a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. The dilemma came through clearly in the ministerial speeches at Wednesday's daylong conference of the State Minorities Commissions organised here Wednesday by the National Commission for Minorities.
Both Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who inaugurated the conference, and Minister of State for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed, who was the guest of honour, reiterated the United Progressive Alliance government's commitment to provide reservation to the minorities. Yet neither touched upon the Commission's specific recommendation of a 10 per cent quota for Muslims within an overall reservation of 15 per cent for the minorities.
Mr. Chidambaram described reservation as “perhaps the most effective instrument of affirmative action.” He said his personal view was reservation fulfilled the requirement of affirmative action best. However, there was need to debate how this objective could be met for the minorities. The Constitution sanctioned reservation for the “socially and educationally backward,” but issues such as compartmentalising reservation and the mandate to keep quotas within a ceiling had also to be considered, he said.
Mr. Kursheed pointed out that the Congress manifesto committed the party to providing reservation for Muslims. This resolve was strengthened by the Sachar Committee conclusively establishing the community's backwardness, he said, holding up Tamil Nadu as a model to follow. (The State has an exclusive 3.5 per cent reservation for Muslims, but within the Backward Classes quota).
Later, Mr. Khursheed told The Hindu that the government was yet to take a view on the Misra Commission report. “As matters stand, the OBC route is open for Muslim reservation.” Going beyond this had implications which required careful consideration. Even in the States that granted Muslims a separate quota, the criterion was “backwardness” and the path was the OBC route.
At a press conference on Tuesday, an umbrella group of Muslim organisations said the community would not accept any formula that adjusted it within the existing 27 per cent OBC quota. The organisations were agreeable to exclusion of the creamy layer but not to any dilution of the 10 per cent exclusive quota.
The governments' dilemma is two-fold. Exclusive reservation for Muslims, even with a “creamy layer” condition, could pose constitutional problems, not to mention the strong opposition it will invite from the BJP. On the other hand, incorporating an expanded Muslim quota in the OBC reservation will cut into the OBC entitlements, pitting the Congress and the government against the powerful OBC lobby.


http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article347241.ece

Chidambaram, Khurshid sing differnt tune on Reservation

Chidambaram, Khurshid strike different note on reservation
Agencies Posted online: Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 at 1927 hrs
New Delhi : Home Minister P Chidamabaram on Wednesday said reservation was perhaps the most effective instrument of affirmative action but his colleague Salman Khurshid felt the need to go beyond with the country moving into a different development paradigm.
"If there is a better instrument we should certainly debate that instrument but I believe that reservation is perhaps the most effective instrument for affirmative action that we have today," said Chidambaram addressing the conference of state minority commissions here.
Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, whose ministry is the nodal ministry looking after the Rangnath Misra Commission report that advocated reservations for Muslims and other minorities, however, struck a different note.
"Now that India is moving into a different development paradigm and a different economic paradigm, we need to go beyond reservation. The affirmative action that has been considered at the PM's initiative for the SCs and STs can also be used for the benefit of backwards among minorities and minorities generally," Khurshid said.
He said the process for this affirmative action has already begun and cited the 15-point Programme as an example.
"Now in banking sector, we are looking at 13 per cent priority sector loans going to minorities this year. 15 per cent is our target. Similarly, other development funds that goes out from the Centre are also subjected to a financial and physical target of 15 per cent. This will have its own impact," he said.
Chidambaram said the debate on reservation is ongoing -- what are the limits of reservation, what are the opportunities that are being thrown open by reservation, what are goals that can be achieved through reservation. The debate will not end soon, he said.
He said reservation has three aspects -- the first is the issue of reservation for socially, educationally and economically backward classes which are sanctified in the Constitution,
the second is the desirability and need for compartmental reservation and
the third is the ceiling on reservation as placed by the Supreme Court.
"I think the debate on reservation must take into account all these aspects and we must find ways and means by which reservation can be used as an instrument to advance affirmative action," he said.
Incidentally, Congress and the government has so far remained ambivalent on the issue of implementation of the Rangnath Misra Commission report.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/598285/