Swamy condemns move to challenge HC order on minority quotas

Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy today condemned the government's decision to challenge the Andhra Pradesh high court order quashing the proposed 4.5 % reservation to minorities within the OBC quota.

Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday condemned the government's decision to challenge the Andhra Pradesh high court order quashing the proposed 4.5 % reservation to minorities within the OBC quota.

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"I condemn the decision of the union government to file a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court against the order of the AP high court quashing quotas for minorities proposed by government," Swamy said in a statement.

Swamy said quotas for backward classes are only for those who were never ruling classes in India whereas under the government's proposal they are being extended to classes which have no socially imposed disabilities.

"Poverty, therefore, cannot be the criteria for giving quotas. For this reason, Brahmins who are poor cannot qualify for quotas. So, neither can Muslims and Christians since they have been the ruling classes for centuries," he said in the statement.

Law minister Salman Khurshid has said the high court order on minority sub-quota is not a setback to the Centre which has decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

The government proposes to create a 4.5 % sub-quota for notified minority groups out of the 27 % reservation meant for OBCs (Other Backward Classes).