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Amit Shah: Will scrap Muslim quota in Telangana; Owaisi reacts strongly
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Amit Shah: Will scrap Muslim quota in Telangana; Owaisi reacts strongly

The Federal
24 April 2023 10:36 AM IST

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (April 23) promised to scrap reservations for Muslims in Telangana if the BJP formed the government in the state after the assembly elections slated for later this year.

Addressing a public meeting titled “Vijay Sankalp Sabha” at Chevella near Hyderabad, Shah said if BJP came to power in Telangana, reservations for Muslims would be scrapped.

“We are not scared of Majlis (AIMIM). Telangana government will be for the people and not Owaisi. Once a BJP government is formed, this unconstitutional Muslim reservation will be scrapped. This right is of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBC, and they will get their right and we will scrap Muslim reservation,” Shah said.

Shah said the steering of car (the election symbol of BRS) was with Majlis and Owaisi, and alleged they could not do good to Telangana and appealed the people to vote for lotus, the BJP’s symbol.

BJP has no vision for Telangana: Owaisi

Hitting back at the home minister over his promise to scrap the Muslim quota in the state, Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of the AIMIM party, said that the BJP had no vision for Telangana, besides “anti-Muslim hate speech”.

“Besides anti-Muslim hate speech, BJP has no vision for Telangana. All they can offer is fake encounters, surgical strikes on Hyderabad, curfews, releasing criminals, and bulldozers. Why do you hate people of Telangana so much?” he asked.

“If Mr Shah is serious about justice for SCs, STs & OBCs, then he should introduce a constitutional amendment to remove 50% quota ceiling. Reservations for backward Muslim groups is based on empirical data,” Mr Owaisi said in another tweet.

The BJP government in Karnataka had recently scrapped the 4 per cent reservations for Muslims, and decided to distribute it equally between two dominant Hindu communities. The Supreme Court earlier this month criticised the decision, and said the move appeared to be on a “highly shaky ground” and “flawed”.

The top court in the country also noted that the Karnataka government’s decision had exceeded the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment in 1992.

Countdown for BRS govt has begun: Shah

Meanwhile, continuing with his attack on the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government, Amit Shah said that the countdown for the BRS Government had begun and the BJP’s fight would not stop until the present regime was dethroned.

On BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samiti) expansion plans, Shah said KCR, as Rao is addressed, had dreamt of becoming the Prime Minister and going around the country.

“His dreams of becoming the Prime Minister will never be fulfilled because there is no vacancy,” Shah said, adding the people of Telangana knew everything. “The Prime Minister’s post is not vacant. KCR, in 2024 also Narendra Modi is going to become Prime Minister with full majority”, Shah said.

“Before that there will be trailer of (assembly elections in Telangana) and elect a BJP government here,” Shah said.

The minister alleged corruption in several projects and accused KCR of making Telangana as an “ATM” for his family, adding now the people of Telangana have become aware.

Also read: Countdown for BRS government in Telangana has begun: Amit Shah

“The countdown for the ruling BRS in Telangana which has been running a corrupt government in the state for the last eight-nine years has begun. BJP is forming government in Telangana and the corrupt will be put behind bars,” he stated.

“Telangana people have come to know about you (KCR) and your family corruption. Government funds are being misused in a big way – the people around you are the main accused and are involved in scams. To divert attention, they made TRS to BRS,” Shah said about KCR recently renaming his party.

Shah charged that policing and administration in Telangana had been completely politicised, and welfare measures which were being extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi were not percolating down to the grassroots.

‘BJP workers not scared of going to jail’

Referring to the arrest of Telangana BJP president and Lok Sabha MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar recently in connection with the case of malpractice after a Class 10 board exam question paper surfaced in an instant messaging app, Shah said party workers would not be cowed down by such acts.

“He feels that BJP party workers will be scared if put behind bars. KCR listen, none of our workers is afraid of your atrocities. We will not stop until you are thrown out of the seat of power,” Shah said.

Also read: Tirupati Vande Bharat, AIIMS on Modi’s Telangana agenda today

“Today I want to ask KCR what was Bandi Sanjay’s fault. He (Bandi Sanjay) raised his voice against paper leakage and for rights of youths. You put Bandi Sanjay in jail and the court granted him bail within 24 hours. BJP MLA E Rajender was stopped from speaking in the Assembly,” Shah said.

‘Question paper leaks ruined lives of youths’

Shah alleged that injustice was being meted out to the youth in Telangana.

“SSC and TSPSC exam papers are being leaked. KCR has ruined the future of lakhs of youths. Youth are ready to teach you a lesson in the election. More than 2 lakh vacancies in the state government were not filled. When the process to fill 80,000 posts began in a hurry, the incidents of the question-paper leak ruined the lives of youths. Does he have the right to continue to be in power for even a second?” Shah asked.

Also read: Telangana paper leaks: Opposition taps youth angst to target KCR

“If you have guts, then order a probe by a sitting judge into the issue. If you think that you will be saved by not instituting a probe, you are wrong. Because as soon as the BJP forms a government, we will throw each and every corrupt person into jail,” he said.

The Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) on March 15 cancelled the Assistant Engineers (AE) exam held earlier that month, following allegations that the question paper had been leaked. Subsequently, some more exams were cancelled. More than 15 people including TSPSC employees have been arrested over their alleged involvement in connection with the leak of papers.

Shah hits out at KCR for not celebrating ‘Telangana Liberation Day’

He also hit out at KCR for not celebrating the “Telangana Liberation Day” (the day the erstwhile Nizam state merged with the Indian Union in 1948) and promised it would be celebrated in a grand manner at Hyderabad’s Parade Ground after BJP forms the government.

Shah alleged the Telangana government does not even show the complete map of Kashmir to appease Owaisi’s party.

“This is disrespectful to India,” he said.

KTR’s sarcastic response to Shah through tweet

Hitting back at Shah, BRS leader and Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao tweeted: “I thank HM @AmitShah Ji on laying the foundation for ITIR Hyderabad, National Project status for Palamuru – RR lift irrigation project, Hyderabad Metro Phase 2, IIM, IISER, IIIT, IIT, NID, Navodayas, Medical & Nursing Colleges. Oh Wait. He did none of that. Amit Ji, why don’t you name one BJP-governed state which has fared better than #Telangana in last 9 years?”

(With inputs from agencies)

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