Terming the representation of Muslims in elected bodies as inadequate, Minority Affairs Minister K Rahman Khan today demanded that seats in local bodies should be reserved for the community.
He said Muslims feel there should be reservations for them in assembly and Parliament seats on the lines of SCs and STs.
"If it is done, it is good. But at this stage I do not advocate it. Reservation can be given at the level of local bodies. A beginning can be made here," Khan told PTI.
Even in Rajya Sabha, they are not adequately represented, he said.
"Representation should be from all sections or it is not democracy," he said.
The minister said Muslims are being denied a fair treatment because their demands are looked through the prism of religion.
"You can give (reservation benefits) for a backward, for SC but if on the same parameter a Muslim ask it, you say it can't be given on religious ground. How do you take this when reports after reports say condition of Muslims is worse than SCs," he said.
According to Khan, Muslims should be treated as socio- economically backward community like Other Backward Castes and SCs and given similar benefits.
One of the problems, he said, is that a majority of seats where Muslims are in substantial numbers is reserved for SCs.
"Where there is a minority population, there is a considerable SCs number as well. Politicians also use influence to shift reserved category seats to constituency where minorities are in good numbers during delimitation. Government is working to tackle the problem," he said.
Khan recently wrote to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, flagging various concerns of Muslims and arguing that they be given 4.5 per cent sub-quota within the 27 per cent reservation meant for OBCs.
