Akhilesh seeks UPA support

Lucknow (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday sought support from the UPA government at the centre to effect a constitutional amendment to ensure reservations for Muslims as per the recommendations of the Sachar Committee. Addressing a press conference along with Union Minister for Minority Welfare K Rahman Khan here, Yadav said if the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government made an effort in this direction, the Samajwadi Party (SP) would support it. He added that his government was working to improve social, educational and economic status of the Muslim community in the state.

The Chief Minister requested the centre to release the funds for centrally-aided minority welfare schemes on time. He also said the state government, through its own resources, was providing financial assistance to Muslim girls for higher education. Rahman Khan said the Central government was willing to work with the Uttar Pradesh government for the welfare of minorities in the state. The Sachar Committee, appointed in 2005 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had recommended reservations as one of the remedies to remove the backwardness of Indian Muslims in order to mainstream them.