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Muslims seek BC status Hyderabad, May 28: Several Muslim organisations on Monday urged the AP Backward Class Commission to include members of the community in the BC list on the basis of their occupations. They pointed out that many Hindu castes were given reservations based on their occupations. Muslim leaders and organisations thronged the office of the BC commission on Monday to present their arguments during the public hearing. Muslim groups and classes such as Fakeer (Darvesh), Pakeerla (Bontala), Labbi/Labbai, Qureshi (Butcher), Muslim Rajakas, Thuraka Kasha and Achukatiavandlu had given representations requesting that they be included in the BC list. The commission conducted a public hearing in its office to gauge the public opinion in the issue. Its chairman Justice D. Subramanyam said that the commission had the powers to conduct a public hearing though the issue was before the Supreme Court. "It is not sub judice," he said. "We want to verify the social, economic and educational situation of some classes of Muslims. It is not being done on a religious basis." Organisations such as Tanzeem Islah-E-Mashirah and Jamiat Ulama Hind urged Justice Subramanyam to include some more classes such as Attar Saibulu, Noor Bhasha, Pathan, Siddi, Hajjam-Nai, Khatik, Mughals, Mahadavis, Hadeeth and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamats in the BC list. "Hindu carpenters, blacksmiths, butchers, skin tanners, shepherds and other sects undertaking hereditary professions are being given reservation," pointed out M.A. Hameed, president of Tanzeem Islah-E-Mashirah. "But Muslims in the same situation are denied reservation." However, certain backward class welfare organisations and individuals filed objections expressing fear that inclusion of Muslims will hamper the interests of the existing 94 castes in the BCs list. The commission said it may conduct more public hearings in other districts on the issue. But it also expressed a doubt whether reservations to Muslims on the basis of occupation was feasible since there was no occupation-wise break-up of the community available.
