‘Ramzan Tohfa to 11 lakh Muslims’

Darsi (Prakasam): Minister for Transport, Roads and Buildings Sidda Raghava Rao has announced that the State government is ready to provide permanent reservations to Muslims, as the matter is with the Constitution bench now.

He participated in the distribution of Chandranna Ramzan Tohfa here on Sunday. He said that the government would take all necessary steps to provide reservation to the Muslims on permanent basis, by providing all information to the Constitution bench.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has introduced a law enabling four per cent reservations for Muslims through the Andhra Pradesh Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes of Muslims Act, 2007. The Supreme court of India upheld the law and constituted a Constitutional bench to look into the issue, as it involved important issues of Constitution.

But the Supreme court in its interim orders in 2010, allowed reservation to the Muslims, until a decision is taken by the Constitution bench, he added.He said that the State government was offering the Tohfa to about 11 lakh Muslims to help the poor also celebrate the festival with dignity and happiness on par with the rich people in the community. He said that the prayers of the Muslims for the wellbeing of State and country were helpful, especially in keeping peace in society. He said that he developed Darsi with Rs 935 crore of works in the last two years and promised that he would look after the development of mosques in the constituency and complete the construction of Shadikhana soon.

The Minister said that the State government was committed to the welfare of Muslims in and allotted Rs 710 crore in the budget for minority welfare activities.