Thursday, August 25 2005 12:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Opposing reservation in educational institutions based on religion, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday (August 24, 2005) demanded that a bill on setting up of National Commission for Minorities Educational Institutions should be referred to the Standing Committee.

BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters that proper discussion was needed by the Standing Committee on the bill as there has been no discussion among political parties before it was introduced in Parliament.

He said two Commissions, Minority Commission and Human Rights Commission, already existed for the protection of the interest of minorities and the new law was not needed.

"The Government wants to set up this Commission just because of vote-bank politics," Malhotra said.

He said nine per cent of Muslims were covered by the quota for backward classes and there was no need for providing reservation for the rest three per cent.

"There should be no discrimination on the basis of religion," the BJP leader said, cautioning, "Otherwise we will reach the situation witnessed before the creation of Pakistan."

To a question, he said this was the viewpoint of BJP and not necessarily that of allies.

"We are not forcing our view on our allies. They should also not compel us to back out on our viewpoint," he said.