SP leader wants 14 per cent reservation in housing

Just after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government earlier this year scrapped an ordinance providing reservation for Muslims in education and job sector Abu Asim Azmi, a Samajwadi Party leader and MLA from the city, has demanded 14 per cent reservation in the affordable homes schemes which are undertaken by the Maharashtra government bodies.

Mr Azmi was referring to schemes taken by Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) and Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp Limited (SPPL) for the minority communities.

Speaking to The Asian Age, Mr Azmi said, “Everyone is talking about affordable homes today, but affordable homes are not affordable for the people from the minority communities. There are people from the backward class of the society which cannot even afford homes though it is claimed that homes will be sold at affordable price. There are people from the Dalit, Christian, Buddhist and Muslim community who are poor and the state government must consider of having 14 per cent reservation for the people from these minority communities.

I will write a letter in this regard to the chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis and the minority affairs minister, Ekanth Khadse on the same.” It was earlier reported by The Asian Age, that the minority department of the government is mulling over a recommendation to the housing department that flats be reserved for minority communities. The minority department had said they want to include the recommendation in the housing policy prepared by the department.