Telangana News | Congress launches year-long celebrations for Muslim reservation

Hyderabad: The Congress party launched a year-long celebration on Saturday, marking the 30th anniversary of Muslim reservation in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.

This commemoration began with the release of a short video highlighting the historical significance of the reservation process initiated by the Congress government on August 25, 1994.

The foundation of Muslim reservation was laid by the then Congress government led by Chief Minister Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, with Mohammed Ali Shabbir serving as the country’s first Minority Welfare Minister. Under their leadership, GO Ms No 30 was issued, initiating reservations for Muslims in jobs and education.

In Gandhi Bhavan, TPCC spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin, Hyderabad DCC president Mohammed Waliullah Sameer, TPCC secretary Mohammed Jaweed, and senior leader Mateen Shareef announced that the celebrations, beginning on August 25, will include a series of events aimed at raising awareness about the significance and impact of Muslim reservations.

The Congress leaders recounted the journey of Muslim reservations over the past three decades. They noted that although the Puttuswamy Commission was established to facilitate the process, the TDP government, which was in power from 1994 to 2004, stalled the efforts by granting six extensions without producing a report.

It was only after the Congress party returned to power in the 2004 Assembly elections that the promise of 5% Muslim reservation, made in its manifesto, was fulfilled. Within just 58 days of assuming office, the Congress government led by Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, with Mohammed Ali Shabbir as a minister, implemented the 5% reservation.

However, the reservation faced legal challenges in the High Court, leading to a temporary implementation halt from 2005 to 2007. Following the court’s directive, the percentage was reduced to 4%, and the reservation was re-implemented from 2007-08.        

As part of the year-long celebration, the Congress party plans to conduct a photo exhibition to showcase Muslim reservations’ historical significance further. They have called on all beneficiaries and supporters of the Muslim quota to join and support the campaign.