Saharanpu, Mar 26 (IANS): The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, has said that it will challenge in court the Karnataka government's decision to remove Muslims from the 2B category of 'Other Backward Classes' (OBCs), which gave them 4 per cent reservation.

Maulana Mahmood Madani, president of the organisation, termed the move a "grave injustice meted out to Muslims".

Madani told reporters in Deoband that: "The decision does not go hand-in-hand with Prime Minister Modi's Pasmanda Muslim upliftment. The Prime Minister, on one hand, is promoting development policy for the marginalised section of Muslims, and on the other hand, his party's government in Karnataka is snatching away the reservation from them and distributing it among other classes."

The 4 per cent OBC Muslim quota has been divided between the Vokkaligas and Lingayats. Muslims eligible for quota have been categorised under economically weaker sections (EWS) now.

He argued that various official statistics and reports confirm the fact that the Muslims of India are economically and educationally at the lowest rung of development.

"Hence, no community deserves reservation more than the Muslims," Madani said.

Calling the move as "the worst example of electoral opportunism and appeasement", Madani said, "This move only aims to create discord between the two communities. We will approach the court against it."