Reservation Can’t Be Granted on Religion Alone, Says Nitesh Rane as Congress MLA Amin Patel Demands 10% Quota for Muslim Students
MUMBAI — A debate over Muslim reservation and minority welfare schemes took place in the Maharashtra Assembly on Friday, with Fisheries and Ports Minister Nitesh Rane stating that reservation cannot be provided to Muslims only on the basis of religion.
During the discussion, Congress MLA Amin Patel raised the issue of reservation for Muslim students in education and demanded that the government provide a 10 per cent quota for students from the community. Referring to court directions, Patel said that Muslim students should be given educational reservation.
Responding on behalf of the Minority Development Department, Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal said that the government would take action according to court orders.
Later, Nitesh Rane intervened and clarified the government’s position. He said that Zirwal’s statement should not be misunderstood and repeated that reservation cannot be granted to Muslims solely on the basis of religion.
“Reservation cannot be given to Muslims on the basis of religion. However, if any person from the community qualifies for reservation on the basis of caste, they can receive the benefit according to the Constitution and law,” Rane said.
Rane added that the law does not provide any provision for reservation only because a person belongs to a particular religion. He said communities that are eligible under existing legal provisions can receive reservation benefits.
During the same discussion, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi raised the issue of pending scholarships for minority students and demanded that the government release the funds immediately.
Replying to the demand, Minister Narhari Zirwal informed the Assembly that the Minority Development Department has been allocated a budget of Rs 60 crore for the year 2026-27. He also presented details of government grants provided to the department between 2023 and 2027.
Congress MLA Amit Deshmukh criticised the government and alleged that the Minority Development Department was not receiving enough attention. He demanded approval for projects including an Urdu Bhavan, libraries and residential schools.
Responding to these demands, Minister Zirwal assured the House that the government would consider these issues positively.
The discussion in the Assembly covered several issues related to minority education, welfare schemes and government support, with opposition members demanding greater attention towards the needs of minority communities.
