PTI
 
Mumbai, Jun 12: Muslim groups on Sunday demanded reservations for the community in politics and jobs on the basis of population.

A resolution to this effect was passed at the Maharashtra Muslim Convention, hosted jointly by the All India Ulema Council and Mumbai Aman Committee, at the Anjuman-e-Islam near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai.

The resolution said that besides Parliament, state assemblies and councils, representation on the basis of population must be given to Muslims in the police, bureaucracy, local bodies and private institutions.

The convention also appealed to Muslims to unite and prevail upon political parties to give representation to them on the basis of population ratio.

Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Zahiruddin Khan, president of the All India Ulema Council, said that since Independence the Muslim community has not been given proper representation.

Badruddin Ajmal, leader of the Assam United Democratic Front that had won 11 seats in the assembly elections in that state, said Muslims should not have a different political party.

"It is not at all required. What is needed is that they should shake hands with the downtrodden, farmers, fisherfolk and oppressed sections of society and demand proper representation. Everything will follow," he added.

Riyaz Khan, vice president of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, noted that the interim report of the Sachar Committee had pointed out that 90 per cent of Muslims have not benefited from various schemes launched by the central and state governments.

Renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Zillur Rehman Siddiqui said over 65 per cent of the Muslim population in the country lived below the poverty line. "Before making plans, we need to take this into consideration. We need to bridge this gap," he said.