Mumbai, Aug 1: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray created a flutter in political circles by favouring reservation for Muslims in educational institutes in Maharashtra. Addressing a press conference on Monday, Uddhav Thackeray said the state government should consider the demands for quota from Dhangars, Muslims and other communities.

"Apart from the Marathas, reservation demands of Dhangars, Muslims and other communities should also be taken into account," Thackeray reportedly said. The Shiv Sena chief added his party would back the state and central government on the issue. Speaking specifically on Muslim quota, Thackeray said if there were reasonable demands from the community, they should also be considered.

Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) welcomed the Shiv Sena's stand and said the Bombay High Court too had allowed 5 per cent reservation for Muslims. “It is a positive development. The BJP should take a cue… Some BJP leaders, through their acts and utterances, are targeting Muslims,” AIMIM MLA Imtiyaz Jaleel told Indian Express.

“While rejecting the demands of the Maratha community for OBC status, the high court had allowed 5 per cent reservation for Muslims...However, it is highly regrettable that the state government is yet to implement the HC directive,” Jaleel added. He further said the AIMIM would soon launch an agitation for quota for Muslims in government jobs.

Ahead of Assembly polls in 2014, the Congress-NCP government had approved 16 per cent reservation for Marathas and five per cent for Muslims in government jobs and educational institutes. On November 14, 2014, the High Court stayed the decision to grant job and educational quota to Marathas but allowed educational quota for Muslims.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2018 01:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).