Carve Out Quota For Shia Muslims In Welfare Schemes: Shia Cleric

New Delhi, May 6, IRNA -- Noted Shia cleric Maulana Syed Jawad Naqvi Saturday demanded carving out of 20 per cent share for Shia Muslims in all the government schemes being run for Muslims' welfare. 'The state and central governments had been continuously discriminating against Shia Muslims and in order to ensure their welfare, this section should get 20 per cent share in all the welfare schemes for Muslims being run by the governments,' Naqvi told media-persons at Lucknow. Naqvi, also a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said: 'Political parties and governments think that Shias do not have the numbers and can not be taken as a vote bank and so are neglecting them.' Naqvi said that he would get a survey done to know the exact number of the Shias within two months and would seek their rightful share once again. He said that a 'Shia Rally' would be held at the historical Asafi Imambara, commonly known as Bara Imambara in Lucknow on Sunday to discuss the various problems being faced by them and ways to address them./end