LUCKNOW: A Shia cleric and vice-president of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Sadiq created a flutter when he announced at a public forum that Muslims did not need reservation.

At a majlis on Sunday in Bara Banki he said, ‘‘Koi bhi qaum baisakhion ke sahare hamesha nahin chal sakti...usme jaan paida karni hogi (No community can move forward on crutches...we need to instil life into it).’’ And, this can be done by introducing Muslims to modern education, he said.

The Maulana has never been shy of courting controversies. His advice to Muslims on family planning and insistence on announcing Eid well in advance going by the lunar calendar instead of waiting for the actual moon-sighting has earned him many detractors.

He said, "Muslim quota will not prove beneficial in the long run. The Muslim leadership is responsible for illiteracy and backwardness of the community." He added, "Muslim leaders should now atone for their sins by promoting literacy, creating better avenues for jobs and improving their lot instead of harping on issues like reservation," he said.