MADRAS: There is no move to any new reservation Policy for minorities the Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Mr. Arjun Singh, said on Oct.15

Reacting to BJP president Mr. LR. Advani’s remark that there will be a second partition of the country if the government goes ahead with any reservation program for the minority community, 4S reportedly stated by Union Welfare Minister Mr. Sitaram Kesari, Singh said I do not know what Mr. Kesari meant by reservation for the minority community. But there are a number of backward class Muslims in the country. To is not that Muslims as such are B0ing to get reservation. If a section of them qualify, then there is nothing wrong. it is not a question of giving reservation to the minorities at large. Talking to media persons at the Madras airport, he said in Madhya Pradesh, the backward class Muslims have been enjoying reservation from the last six years. Among the minority communities is nothing new and there are a number of persons already enjoying the privilege.

On the preparation to the forthcoming Assembly elections in five States including Andhra Pradesh and Kamataka, he said his party’s manifesto will be released soon. The chances of the Congress winning the elections were “very good” Commenting on the Kannada Urdu controversy in Kamataka, he said “there is no language probJem in Kamataka. There was no tension when Doordarshan introduced the Urdu bulletin in Bangalore and other parts of Kamataka, It was something that just happened.”

Asked whether the Congress infighting in Andhra Pradesh would affect the party’s electoral performance, Mr. Singh said that in a big party like the Congress, there were bound to be problems. “I don’t think this will come in the way of the party attaining victory.” The fight for supremacy would be between the Congress and the Telugu Desam party led by Mr. N.T. Rama Rao.

On the party’s state of affairs in ‘Tamil Nadu, he said it would augur well for the Congress if the party men followed the legacy of the great leader late Kamaraj.

Mr, Singh was on his way to Madurai, whore some state Janata Dal members are joining the Congress fold.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 21, 1994