Kolkata: CPI(M) on Sunday welcomed Ranganath
Mishra Commission report which has advocated reservation of
government jobs for Muslims in the country.
"I welcome Ranganath Mishra Commission report on behalf
of the party," CPI-M state secretary in West Bengal Biman Bose
said here.
Bose said he would elaborate the reaction on the
commission's report later in detail.
CPI-M sources said the issue would be discussed in the
party's Central Committee meeting in the first week of
February.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also
reported to have agreed to discuss the issue with his Left
Front allies.
Party sources said differences between the leaders in
Left Front and its major constituent CPI-M on the issue have
been sorted out.
Earlier, ruling Left Front and its major constituent
CPI-M were split in their ranks over implementation of
Ranganath Mishra Commission's recommendations.
While Left Front allies and a section of CPI-M leaders
wanted the state government to take initiative to announce
reservations for Muslims in the next assembly session, others
said it would need an amendment in the Constitution.
Apart from Forward Bloc and CPI, the minority cell of
CPI-M also backed reservations for Muslims. Both the allies
even demanded a discussion in LF meeting to expedite the
reservation process.
CPI-M minority cell also met several times on the
issue, last on January 15, and appealed to the party to
announce reservation policy for minorities in the forthcoming
assembly session, likely to be held in February end.
It demanded 15 per cent quota for Muslims, sources
said.
Speaker H A Halim, also a CPI-M state committee
member, had said it was impossible for the government to
declare the whole Muslim community as backward class.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, January 31, 2010, 23:59