Congress Prepares Minority Declaration Ensuring Empowerment & Welfare for Communities

HYDERABAD: The minorities declaration of the Congress, to be issued soon, would guarantee the empowerment of the communities, said senior party leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir, who heads the TPCC committee to draft the document.

He was addressing a press conference after the committee held its last open session here on Thursday to seek suggestions on the declaration. Shabbir Ali said the committee had received more than 150 suggestions including from 15 prominent Muslim organisations.

Shabbir Ali He said that representatives of prominent Muslims, Christians, Jains, Dalit Muslims and others participated in the open session.

"Some of the important suggestions include an increase in the minorities welfare budget to Rs 5,000 crore, a minorities sub-plan on the lines of SC, ST Sub-Plans, hike in the budget for marriage scheme, a separate law to stop discrimination on religious grounds," Shabbir Ali said.