On this question, former mp Ali Anwar says - The demand for giving separate reservation to Muslims,
especially Pasmanda Muslims, is not new. Now that the data is available, this demand will become stronger.
Asad Malik, professor of Law Department at Jamia Millia Islamia, says – Even during the making of the
Constitution, the issue of giving reservation to Muslims was raised, but it was postponed. In 2005 and 2008 also,
the Center had taken initiative to improve the plight of Muslims. Two committees were formed for this.
In 2005, the Justice Rajendra Sachar Committee formed by the central government and later the Ranganath
Mishra Committee report also recommended reserving seats for Muslims. It was said that like Dalit-tribals,
Muslim majority seats should also be reserved, so that the share can increase rapidly.
Sachar Committee had also given instructions to reserve Muslim majority seats in sc category during
delimitation. However, even after 18 years of the Sachar Committee report, there has been no change in the
situation. There are about 6 lok sabha seats in the country where Muslim population is high, but the seats are
reserved for Dalits. These include Bulandshahr, Nagina, kutch and ahmedabad seats.
In 2008, a 4-member committee led by amitabh Kundu had submitted a report to the Ministry of Minority
Welfare. This is known from the Kundu Committee report. The committee had laid emphasis on Diversity
Commission for the development of Muslims in the country. The committee had said that Muslims are lagging
behind in everything from education to parliamentary participation, to change which radical changes are needed
everywhere. Big changes are possible only when Muslims come into decision making.
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