Give 12 per cent quota for Muslims immediately, says Telangana Congress

Hyderabad: TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday said the Congress would conduct a door to door campaign to expose the failure of TRS government in implementing 12 per cent reservations for Muslims.

He was speaking after a padayatra from Charminar to Gandhi Bhavan, titled ‘Walk for 12 per cent Muslim reservation’. Hundreds of Congress workers participated, raising slogans against the Chief Minister and carrying placards asking Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to either fulfil the promise or quit. The padayatra later culminated in a meeting at Prakasam Hall.

Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said that though the Muslims traditionally supported the Congress, they had backed the TRS hoping that Mr Rao would increase their quota in jobs and education. He said Mr Rao had always supported the BJP and Sangh Parivar. The secret friendship between Mr Rao and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be exposed and Muslims alerted that Mr Rao was not sincere about enhancing the quota, he said.

AICC TS incharge R.C. Kunthia said Mr Rao had never stated in the manifesto that he would implement quota only if it was approved by the Centre. Therefore, he said, Mr Rao should take full responsibility to increase the quota to 12 per cent and implement it before the 2019 elections. Else, he said, the Muslim community would teach the TRS a fitting lesson.

He criticised the BJP government at the Centre for making repeated attempts to disturb communal harmony. He said following Moulana Abul Kalam Azad’s message of peace and communal harmony was the need of the hour.

Minorities cell chairman Abdullah Sohail set June 2, 2018, as the deadline for implementation of the quota. He said the Congress would organise awareness programmes for the next 203 days. It will send reminders to Mr Rao once in 10 days.