Hyderabad: Are lives of minorities worse than trees, plants?

Hyderabad: Giving comparative figures on the expenditure incurred on the Haritha Haram and Minorities' welfare, Akbaruddin Owaisi (AIMIM) on Monday questioned the government whether lives of the minorities were worse than trees and plants.

Speaking during a discussion on 'Welfare of Minorities in the State and developmental activities in the Old City of Hyderabad' in the Assembly, he found fault with officials for giving wrong details of budgetary allocations to the Minority department.

He said that the expenditure list pertaining to 2014-15 submitted in 2017 during discussion in the House was differed with that submitted today. "The State government released Rs 6,555 crore for Haritha Haram during the last seven years whereas for the minorities the it has released Rs 6,199 crore only. Are the lives of Muslims worse than trees and plants," asked Akbar.

The AIMIM leader pointed out the delay in disbursement of scholarship under overseas education. He said some students have gone abroad, completed studies and come back, but still money was not released. He said the department had functioned well until Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was looking into it. He alleged that salaries of imams and mozins were not being paid on time. "The government is spending over Rs 1,000 crore on Yadadri. At the same time funds should be spent on other sections also," he said.

Mentioning his health issue, Akbar said, "I don't know how long I will live. My stomach hurts while I talk, but this pain is nothing before problems of my community. I want to see some change in their lives," he quipped. He said he likes two political leaders---former CM of undivided AP YS Rajasekhara Reddy and KCR---calling them friends of the minorities.

He recalled how YSR helped in getting back the land of Dargah Hussain Shah Vali from the International Airport at Shamshabad. He brought to the minister's notice the pending road widening in the Old City, Charminar Pedestrianisation Project, Osmania Hospital renovation, educational institutions, Metro Rail in the Old City and others. He offered to provide his own buildings for the institutions.