The SP legislator also wrote to Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, state Congress chief Nana Patole and state NCP SP chief Jayant Patil and made a strong appeal to give adequate representation to the Muslim community in the state council.
“Muslims make up 12 percent of the state's population, but they have no representation in the Legislative Council. I urge MVA government leaders to address this disparity. I have written to the MVA leaders and advocated for proper representation of the Muslim community in the state assembly and council,” the SP legislator said.
Rais Shaikh wrote to MVA when they did not field any Muslims in the biennial state council elections scheduled for July 12.
Incidentally, NCP legislator SP Babajani Durrani and Congress legislator Mirza Wajahat are retiring from the upper house.
“Maharashtra Legislative Council has a hundred years long tradition. The state has a 12 percent Muslim population. However, Muslim representation in the Legislative Council has been very minuscule to date,” he stated.
He said Babajani Durrani and Mirza Wajahat will also retire and therefore Muslim representation in the Legislative Council will end now.
“In 1937, the twin house system was created in the state. Since then, Muslim representation has remained constant in the upper house. Ending Muslim representation in the upper house of a progressive state like Maharashtra is inappropriate,” he stated.
He said the MVA did not field a single Muslim candidate in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, despite the presence of Muslim majority voters in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.
“Since the creation of the state of Maharashtra in 1960, of the 567 parliamentarians elected in Maharashtra, the Muslim community has a poor representation of only 15 (2.5 per cent). Today there are only 10 Muslim members in the Legislative Assembly. “Muslim representation in the state assembly is very dismal despite one in 10 Muslim voters in the state’s 11 crore population,” he said.
Rais Shaikh said the MVA should correct its mistake by giving adequate representation to the Muslim community while filling up upcoming vacancies in the Legislative Council.
"By denying political representation to the Muslim community, the MVA is pushing the Muslim community towards a party like AIMIM, which contributes to polarizing Muslim opinion," he said.
He said there is a strong demand from senior leaders that the Muslim community be adequately represented in the Legislative Council.
"You (MVA) are expected to respond appropriately," he said.
“Muslims make up 12 percent of the state's population, but they have no representation in the Legislative Council. I urge MVA government leaders to address this disparity. I have written to the MVA leaders and advocated for proper representation of the Muslim community in the state assembly and council,” the SP legislator said.
Rais Shaikh wrote to MVA when they did not field any Muslims in the biennial state council elections scheduled for July 12.
Incidentally, NCP legislator SP Babajani Durrani and Congress legislator Mirza Wajahat are retiring from the upper house.
“Maharashtra Legislative Council has a hundred years long tradition. The state has a 12 percent Muslim population. However, Muslim representation in the Legislative Council has been very minuscule to date,” he stated.
He said Babajani Durrani and Mirza Wajahat will also retire and therefore Muslim representation in the Legislative Council will end now.
“In 1937, the twin house system was created in the state. Since then, Muslim representation has remained constant in the upper house. Ending Muslim representation in the upper house of a progressive state like Maharashtra is inappropriate,” he stated.
He said the MVA did not field a single Muslim candidate in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, despite the presence of Muslim majority voters in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.
“Since the creation of the state of Maharashtra in 1960, of the 567 parliamentarians elected in Maharashtra, the Muslim community has a poor representation of only 15 (2.5 per cent). Today there are only 10 Muslim members in the Legislative Assembly. “Muslim representation in the state assembly is very dismal despite one in 10 Muslim voters in the state’s 11 crore population,” he said.
Rais Shaikh said the MVA should correct its mistake by giving adequate representation to the Muslim community while filling up upcoming vacancies in the Legislative Council.
"By denying political representation to the Muslim community, the MVA is pushing the Muslim community towards a party like AIMIM, which contributes to polarizing Muslim opinion," he said.
He said there is a strong demand from senior leaders that the Muslim community be adequately represented in the Legislative Council.
"You (MVA) are expected to respond appropriately," he said.
