Mumbai, February 18 Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said on Wednesday that the Maharashtra government, led by the BJP, had made the decision to cancel the five per cent reservation for Muslims, which was "harmful to democracy" and would push the community away from the mainstream.
The Congress-NCP government had announced a five per cent reservation in education and jobs for the Muslim community in 2014, but Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis failed to take positive steps in that direction, said the MP from Mumbai North-Central.
"Instead of strengthening the process, the government has cancelled earlier procedures citing interim stay orders of the High Court and the lapse of the ordinance. On one hand, the BJP speaks of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (development for all), and on the other hand it blocks the path to securing necessary documents for reservation," she said.
The Bombay High Court had upheld the five per cent reservation in education for the Muslim community, but the state government did not implement it fully, Gaikwad said, and also sought to know the stands of ruling allies Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party.
The reservation for the Muslims was not based on religion, but was for the benefit of socially and educationally backward sections, Gaikwad said, adding that the BJP's stand reflected an anti-reservation mindset.