‘Withdraw 3.5% internal reservation for Muslims’

Vellore Syed Ibrahim, National Secretary of the BJP Minority Morcha, who came to submit a petition in Madurai Collectorate on Monday.

| Photo Credit: R. ASHOK

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Minority Morcha National Secretary Syed Ibrahim alias Vellore Ibrahim on Monday urged the State government to cancel or withdraw the 3.5% internal reservation for Muslims based on caste.Addressing the journalists at a press meet held at the District Collectorate, Mr. Ibrahim said recently the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had declared unconstitutional a 2024 G.O. that allowed a convert to Islam from the Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes, Denotified Communities or Scheduled Castes to be treated as BC (Muslim).He pointed out that the High Court had relied on a 1951 judgment that held that when a Hindu gets converted to Islam, he becomes just a Muslim. The previous DMK government had issued the G.O. in 2024 only for vote bank. The G.O. was contrary to the judgments and Islamic principles.Islamic teachings emphasise that all are equal before God and reject caste based hierarchy, he says, adding that people converted to Islam to reject caste. To provide reservation based on caste was against Islamic principles, he said.He urged the State government not to prefer an appeal against the High Court judgment. He said that the High Court had correctly declared the 2024 G.O. as unconstitutional. He said the State government should take steps to cancel the 3.5% internal reservation for Muslims based on caste. He submitted a representation in this regard to the Madurai district administration. Published - June 29, 2026 11:24 pm IST