Minorities better off than BCs

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Association president R Krishnaiah will challenge the Centre’s decision to provide 4.5 per cent reservation to minorities out of the 27 per cent OBC quota in the Supreme Court too as the Centre has decided to approach the apex court against the Andhra Pradesh High Court quashing their decision.Krishnaiah has asked the Centre to provide a separate quota to minorities by amending the Constitution but not from the OBC quota.Krishnaiah said minorities got their due share at least in politics and education which the OBCs did not. Independent India saw four minority community presidents _ Giani Zail Singh, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Zakir Hussain and Abdul Kalam _ and present prime minister Manmohan Singh too belonged to minority communities but no OBC had become a president or prime minister till date, he pointed out.“The Centre has set up a special ministry for minorities, a minority corporation and has special budget allocations. Minorities have special colleges, schools, hostels, scholarships but OBCs did not have them. Though the Sachar Committee found some minorities as backward economically, BCs were backward not only economically but also socially, he said.