Congress to commemorate30 yrs of Muslim reservation

The Congress has announced a series of events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of introducing reservations for Muslims in united Andhra Pradesh, culminating in a grand event on August 25.
The first GO proposing reservation for Muslims was issued on August 25, 1994, by the Congress government led by Chief Minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy.
The order, GO Ms No: 30, was a pioneering move that provided reservation to Muslims along with 14 other Backward Classes.
Addressing a press conference at the Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday, Hyderabad DCC President Mohammed Waliullah Sameer and senior leader Mateen Shareef said the Congress revolutionized the lives of nearly 20 lakh poor Muslims by providing a 4% quota in jobs and education from 2004-05.
Sameer highlighted the crucial role of Mohammed Ali Shabbir, who was elected as an MLA in 1989 and initiated the drive for Muslim reservation by establishing the country’s first Minorities Welfare Department and introducing a Minorities Welfare Budget.
On August 25, 1994, the Congress government issued GO Ms No 30 to provide reservation for Muslims along with other backward classes. Following this, the Puttuswamy Commission was set up to implement the reservation. However, after the Congress lost the 1994 elections, the TDP government extended the Commission’s term without a report, delaying its implementation.
Before the 2004 elections, the then Congress President Sonia Gandhi included a 5% Muslim reservation promise in the party’s manifesto. After the Congress returned to power in Andhra Pradesh in May 2004, the then Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy and Shabbir Ali, then a minister, introduced 5% reservation for Muslims within 58 days. GO Ms No 33, issued on July 12, 2004, granted reservation in jobs and education.
However, GO Ms No 33 faced legal challenges and was annulled by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on September 21, 2004. After a legal battle, the reservation was reduced to 4% by GO Ms No 23 on July 7, 2007, for socially and economically backward Muslims.
“Due to the 4% reservation, the Muslim community has seen significant advancements, with nearly 14,000-15,000 doctors and 5 lakh engineers emerging from professional courses. The BC-E reservation has also been implemented in local bodies, leading to the election of Muslims as Sarpanches, ZPTC and MPTC members, councillors, deputy mayors, and mayors,” Sameer said.
Sameer said that as part of the celebration, the Congress will organise campaigns in the mainstream media and on social media.