http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/central-agency-slams-chief-minister-for-ignoring-obc-muslims/374465/
Central agency slams chief minister for ignoring OBC Muslims Express News Service Posted: Oct 17, 2008 at 0323 hrs Lucknow, October 16 National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) said the Mayawati government has been indifferent towards the backwards among the Muslims, leading to the overall decline of the community in all the spheres of life. Criticising the state government, NCBC member Abdul Azizi said: "The condition of backward Muslims in the state is poor and the present government has done nothing to uplift their social, economic and educational status." He pointed out that within the UP Backward Classes Commission, there are 17 members but not a single belong to the Muslim community, while out of 22 members of UP Minority Commission, only six are Muslims. "Of the total Muslim population in UP, 85 per cent come under the backward classes as per the Mandal commission report," he added. "UP chief minister claims to be heading a sarvajan samaj sarkar but the backwards among Muslims have been denied representation in all the spheres of polity," Azizi said. "Students belonging to backward Muslim castes have been denied even education loans and scholarships," Azizi added. The NCBC member further said: "A recent advertisement of the UP government claiming welfare measures for all sections of the society did not make any mention of the OBCs among Muslims." He also criticised the commercial banks and said: "There are clear guidelines by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to provide 15 per cent of priority sector loans to minorities, but it is not being implemented in UP." Azizi said against the norm of one hostel in each tehsil for students of backward classes, UP has only one hostel in a district.
