Congress minority declaration made by BJP, to divide them from BCs: KTR

HYDERABAD: Calling the minority declaration released by the Congress as a nefarious plan to create a rift between the backward classes and religious minorities, BRS working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) said that the caste census for minorities would rob them of their constitutionally guaranteed special status.

Addressing media at the party headquarters on Friday, KTR pointed out that the Congress, through the declaration, assured that all backward classes, including minorities, would get reservations in jobs, education, and Government welfare schemes within six months of coming to power in the name of fair reservations.

“But the Constitution says that religious minorities come under a special category. What is new in the caste census when there is no need to identify minorities as backward? This is intentionally done to instigate a fight between BCs and minorities,” KTR said.

Including minorities in the BC census would harm both, KTR said adding that BRS condemned the move and urged the minorities including Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs to oppose Congress for trying to harm their interests.

said, “This declaration follows the BJP’s backward Muslim agenda. If minorities are added to the BC list then there will be no need for a minority ministry, minority commission, or a minority finance corporation,” KTR said demanding the Congress withdraw the declaration.

Taking the example of the ‘Udaipur declaration’ KTR said that the Congress violated its own provisions by nominating members of the same family in several instances in Telangana. “In the minority declaration, there is no sincerity even in wording. They say Abdul Kalam, but they are not sure whether he is APJ Abdul Kalam or Moulana Abdul Kalam,” KTR pointed out.

Ridiculing the Congress for promising Rs 4,000 crore for the welfare of minorities if it came to power, KTR said that the BRS promised allocation of Rs 5, 000 crore and reminded the Chief Minister’s promise to further enhance minority welfare funds.

He said that the Congress during 2004-2014 spent a meagre Rs 930 crore on minorities' welfare. In separate Telangana during 2014 -2023 the BRS Government spent Rs 10,140 crore, KTR said, adding that Uttar Pradesh with four crore minorities, spent Rs 1,780 crore, West Bengal with 1.5 crore minority population spent Rs 2,100 crore and Karnataka with one crore population spent Rs 2,100 crore. “But Telangana which has only 50 lakh minority population has spent Rs 2,200 crore,” KTR said.

Supporting the move of the KCR’s Government to seek reservations for Muslims based on their economic status, KTR said that BRS was not demanding to enhance reservations based on religion. “Strategically we are hoping that once a secular Government takes over the reins at the Centre then they would help us enhance the reservation quota for Muslims,” the BRS working president said.

Sure of winning 100 seats

Exuding confidence that the BRS would win 100 seats in the ensuing elections, KTR said that KCR would win both the Kamareddy and Gajwel seats. ‘Even in Kodangal, the BRS would emerge victorious. Revanth Reddy and Etela Rajender are like sacrificial lambs. Congress fielded weak candidates against Raja Singh, Bandi Sanjay, and Dharmapuri Arvind of the BJP in a tacit understanding but the BRS would defeat all of them, KTR said. He said that Raja Singh would lose even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally campaigned for him.

Commenting on the BC declaration released by the Congress, KTR said that on December 17, 2004, KCR met the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and urged him to create an OBC ministry exclusively for the welfare of the BCs. He challenged TPCC president Revanth Reddy to declare a 12 percent reservation for BCs.

National parties trying to stifle KCR’s voice

The entire political establishment from New Delhi and other States swarming Telangana with an agenda to silence the voice of K Chandrashekar Rao, KTR said.

Addressing leaders from Musheerabad who joined the BRS on Friday, KTR said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi and several chief Ministers descended on Telangana to attack one person as he stood for the weak and the less fortunate.

“Congress party favours only the rich. They give tickets only to the rich that is why many leaders from the poor and weaker sections are joining the BRS and many are ready to join shortly,” he said.