KCR washing off his hands from 12% Muslim quota promise: Uttam

Hyderabad : Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was preparing ground to wash off his hands from the promise of giving 12% reservation in jobs and education to Muslims in the State.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Friday, Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed serious doubts over intentions of KCR in implementing 12% Muslim quota. He said if KCR is really sincere, then he should announce that TRS would not seek votes from Muslims and STs if he fails to implement promised 12% reservation for both the communities. Referring to KCR's speech in Assembly, he said KCR clearly stated that now it would be Prime Minister Narendra Modi who would decide the fate of 12% Muslim quota and if he rejects it then the State Government would go to Supreme Court. He reminded that while addressing an election meeting on April 19, 2014 KCR had promised to implement 12% Muslim quota within four months after coming to power. "As on today TRS Government completed 3 Years, 5 Months and 9 Days in power but not a single poor Muslim benefited from his promise. The Muslim Reservation Bill was passed in Telangana Assembly on April 16, 2017 and after 6 Months and 25 Days, KCR is saying he will pressurise the Centre. We seriously doubt his intentions on 12% Muslim quota," he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also expressed doubts over KCR's claim that he spoke to PM Modi on Muslim reservation issue. He said Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu, as the then the Union Minister, had openly stated that Modi was against Muslim reservation. Similarly, Telangana BJP leaders have clearly stated that they were against Muslim reservation. "Is PM Modi separate from BJP? Who should we trust on this? Should we trust KCR's claim that PM Modi was in favour of Muslim quota or should we believe BJP leaders?" he asked.

The TPCC Chief said that the Congress party promised 5% Muslim reservation in 2004 election manifesto and implemented the same within 58 days after coming to power. On the directions of High Court, the quota was reduced to 4% and the same is still under implementation in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. "So far, more than 10 lakh poor Muslims have benefitted from the reservation given by previous Congress regime. KCR did not fulfil his promise even after 40 months and he has been trying to divert the attention of Muslim community by visiting famous Dargah. KCR has made it a ritual to hold discussion on minorities' welfare once in six months and comes up with new set of promises without giving explanation on why old promises were not fulfilled. He apparently thinks that since Muslims are poor and innocent, they could be cheated easily. But Congress party will not allow this to happen," he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also slammed the Chief Minister for not increasing the quota for SCs and STs in proportionate to their population. Similarly, he said when increase in quota for BC-E category is proposed, why quota for other BCs in A, B, C and D categories was not increased in proportionate to their population. He said KCR has been cheating the Muslims and other communities with his fairy tales.

He strongly criticised KCR for not taking serious measures for the development of Muslims in the State. He said that the Sudhir Commission conducted a study on backwardness of Muslims in Telangana and submitted its report on August 16, 2016. Even after one year and three months, TRS Govt did not implement a single recommendation made by the Commission. Besides recommending increase in Muslim quota to 9-12%, Sudhir Commission made several other recommendations and they can be implemented by the State Government without any legal hurdles. He said that giving judicial powers to Wakf Board was a major election promise of TRS. But it did nothing to implement it and as an eye-wash, TRS Govt has now sealed Wakf Board office and enacting other dramas. TRS Govt did not even constitute new Haj Committee, Urdu Academy, Minorities Commission or any other bodies.

Stating that the Congress party was in favour of 12% Muslim reservation, he asked KCR to give a clear-cut deadline for its implementation. He said TRS Government would lose moral right to seek votes from Muslims and ST in next elections if it fails to implement 12% quota for each of these communities. He announced that the Congress party would launch a mass agitation on the issue, he said a 'Walk for 12% Muslim Reservation' is being organised from Charminar to Gandhi Bhavan on the occasion of birth anniversary of Moulana Abul Kalam Azad on November 11.

When asked for reaction on MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi showering praises on KCR in Assembly, he said senior Congress leaders would be holding a meeting in the next few days and the party would explain its stand on MIM.