Muslim group asks Trinamool to clarify stand

A prominent Muslim outfit has asked Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to clear her stand on the Women’s Reservation Bill after she neither opposed nor supported the Bill,but abstained from voting in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday evening.

At a rally where Jamiate-ulema-e-Hind canvassed for Muslim quota in jobs,the outfit’s state secretary,Siddiqullah Choudhury,said,“We don’t know what Mamata Banerjee is up to. Being a part of the UPA,she is abstaining from the vote. What does this mean? She has to come out clear.” “The CPM and Congress supported the Bill,while RJD and SP opposed it. But Mamata Banerjee abstained,” said the former ally of Trinamool. In a bid to mount pressure on the Left Front government regarding 20 per cent reservation for Muslims in jobs and educational institutes,Choudhary threatened to launch a state-wide movement for it. He also said that 20 per cent quota for Muslims be extended to the posts of elected representatives like MLAs and MPs. Choudhury also urged Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee “to fulfil the promise of 10 per cent job quota for Muslims and implement it immediately”. The rally criss-crossed the Muslim dominated areas of North and South 24 Parganas like Joynagar,Barasat,Mograhat and Baruipur. “We call a bangla bandh on the issue,” said Choudhury,adding that a similar rally will be held in Murshidabad on March 15.