Minority quota proposed to shift focus from corruption: BJP

The political row over sub-quota for backward Muslims escalated today with BJP alleging that the reservation promise was aimed at diverting focus from corruption and other problems.

"The Congress party, in order to divert focus from corruption and other real issues, has proposed a special quota for Muslims, which in turn will escalate the communal tension in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh," BJP National Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters here.

Naqvi said efforts should be made to eliminate backwardness of the Muslim community on social, economic and educational fronts.

The UPA government's decision to provide 4.5% reservation for minorities within the existing 27% OBC quota has drawn flak from opposition parties which strongly criticised the move as a means to secure minority votes.