Govt spent only 0.46 per cent of budget for minorities: Uttam

​Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday alleged that the government spent only 0.46 per cent of the budget allocations announced to the Muslims in the past four and half years.

Addressing the media, he said that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government did not grant promised judicial powers to the Wakf Board. "Rs 6,613.85 crore was allocated for minorities' welfare in the last four years, which is one per cent of the total Rs 6.5 lakh crore budget of the government in those years. 

Out of this, less than Rs 3,000 crore or just 0.46 per cent amount had been actually released," he said. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that a meeting was held with party's senior leaders including DCC presidents wherein several issues including possibility of early polls were discussed.

He said a committee would be constituted next month to shortlist the candidates for next Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and selections would be made on the basis of winnability and also social justice. It was also decided to send an open letter to the citizens of Telangana on the failures of the State government. He said the decision on next phase of Praja Chaitanya Bus Yatra and also the alliance with other parties would be finalised once the clarity on early polls is made clear, which is likely to happen after TRS public meeting on September 2. 

He said a resolution had been passed inviting UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the election campaign. The TPCC chief claimed that the Congress party would comfortably win over 75 seats in next elections. He said it was also decided to admit leaders from other parties and groups who wish 
to join Congress party unconditionally.

‘KCR habitual of announcing Bhavans’
Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was trying to cheat the Backward Classes. He pointed out that on June 11, 2014, the TRS government promised to spend Rs 25,000 crore on BC Welfare and did not spend even one-fourth of it. He said that the Chief Minister has become habitual of playing 'Bhavan' politics. 

The Chief Minister had laid foundation stones for Banjara Bhavan, Kommaram Bheem Adivasi Bhavan and Babu Jagjeevan Ram Bhavan on December 11, 2014. Foundation stone for Christian Bhavan was laid on December 24, 2014; Kerala Bhavan on September 29, 2015 and Golla Kurma Bhavan on December 29, 2017, Global Islamic Cultural Centre on January 21, 2017 and a Bhavan for Goud community on March 23, 2018. All these 'Bhavans' were either confined to laying of foundation stones or mere announcements. The TPCC chief said that the proposed 'Atma Gaurava Bhavans' too would meet the same fate. 

"K Chandrashekar Rao is repeatedly hurting the 'Atma Gaurava' (self-respect) of all communities, one after another by making such hollow announcements," he said. The only Bhavan which the Chief Minister had constructed was 'Pragathi Bhavan', a palatial bungalow for his own stay.

"While just one or two acres of land and an amount of Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore are being promised for these 'Bhavans', for the accommodation of a single family of K Chandrashekar Rao, 'Pragathi Bhavan' was constructed on 9 acres land at a cost of Rs 500 crore," he said.

He questioned silence of the government on 12 per cent reservation to Muslims. Senior leaders including AICC Telangana Incharge RC Khuntia, CLP leader K Jana Reddy, TPCC Working President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Vice-President Mallu Ravi, ex-TPCC Chief Ponnala Laxmaiah, Chief Spokesperson Sravan Dasoju, AICC Secretary Saleem Ahmed and ex-Union Minister Balram Naik were also present.