CHANDIGARH, December 23: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today welcomed the union government’s decision to provide 4.5 per cent reservation to the minorities within the 27 per cent quota for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). He also hailed the Home Ministry’s approval for the Anand Marriage Act.
Commenting on these decisions, he said, this will certainly go a long way in addressing the long pending demand of the minorities including the Sikhs. He said, he had personally met the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the Union Home Minister Mr P Chidambaram and the Union Law Minister Mr Salman Khursheed for expediting the process of legislation over the Anand Marriage Act.
Referring to the 4.5 per cent reservation for the minorities within the OBC quota, he said, this will go a long in benefitting the minorities in Punjab including the Muslims, the Sikhs, the Christians, Buddhists and the Parsis. He pointed out, this was a long pending demand of the minorities and will certainly help in improving their lot.
Capt Amarinder said, the decision taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi yesterday will take effect from January 1, 2012 and will benefit the students belonging to the minority communities including the Sikhs, the Muslims, the Christians, the Parsis and the Buddhists in getting jobs and admissions in top institutions, like the IITs, IIMs and AIIMS.