Congress takes out massive rally for 12% Muslim quota

Hyderabad: Announcing that the Congress party would conduct door-to-door campaign to expose the failure of TRS Government in implementing promised 12% reservation in jobs and education, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy warned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao against deceiving the Muslim community on increasing the quota.

Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with AICC Telangana Incharge Secretary R.C. Khuntia and other senior leaders, participated in the 'Walk for 12% Muslim Reservation' from Charminar to Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday. The 'Walk' was organised by GHCC Minorities Department chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail and other leaders including TPCC Minorities Dept chairman Khaja Fakhruddin, TPCC Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin and ex-corporator Mohd Ghouse. CLP leader K. Jana Reddy, ex-PCC Persident Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Kodad MLA N. Padmavathi, ex-union minister Sarve Satyanaranaya, TPCC Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy, ex-minister Danam Nagender, ex-MP M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, Youth Congress president Anil Kumar Yadav, Mahila Congress president Nerella Sharada and other leaders also participate in the padayatra.

Siasat Urdu Daily News Editor Amer Ali Khan, MBT leader Amjed Ullah Khan, Tahreek Muslim Shabban president Mohammed Mushtaq Mallik, Moulana Rafeeq of Popular Front and other eminent personalities representing different organisations also participated in the 'Walk' to express their solidarity and support for the cause of 12% Muslim reservation. Thousands of Congress workers participated in the 'Walk' raising slogans against the Chief Minister. They carried placards asking KCR to either fulfil the promise or quit his post. The padayatra later culminated into a meeting at Prakasham Hall where Congress leaders paid rich tributes to Freedom Fighter and country's first Education Minister Moulana Abul Kalam Azad on his 139th birth anniversary.

Addressing the meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy enthralled Congress workers to conduct door-to-door campaign to explain to the people how KCR cheated Muslims on 12% quota issue. He said although Muslim community traditionally supported Congress party, in 2014 election they backed TRS hoping that KCR would increase their quota in jobs and education from present 4% to 12%. As against the promise of giving 12% reservation in four months after coming to power, the Chief Minister did nothing even in 40 months. After dragging the issue for three-and-a-half years on one pretext or the other, KCR now washed off his hands by saying 12% Muslim quota will now be decided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or he will approach the Supreme Court. He pointed out that KCR has always supported BJP and Sangh Parivar. He reminded that TRS supported BJP's Presidential candidate Ramnath Kovind, who hailed from Sangh Parivar, for the top post. Similarly, KCR supported the candidature of BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu for the post of Vice President of India.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the secret friendship between KCR and PM Modi should be exposed and Muslims should be alerted that KCR is not sincere about implementing 12% Muslim Reservation. He again challenged KCR to announce that TRS would not seek Muslims votes in next elections if 12% quota promise is not fulfilled.

Paying rich tributes to Moulana Azad, Uttam Kumar Reddy said it was in 1933 when Moulana Azad became the president of Indian National Congress at the age of 35 years. As Independent India's first education minister, Moulana Azad laid the foundation for a strong and quality education system which resulted in the formation of premier institutions like IITs and IIMs. Calling Moulana Azad a symbol of secularism, he asked Congress workers to carry his message to the people to counter communal forces being groomed by BJP Government at the Centre and TRS Govt in the State.

Khuntia, in his speech, said KCR did nothing to implement his promise of 12% Muslim quota. He said KCR never mentioned in his election promise that he would implement quota if it is approved by the Central Government. Therefore, he said KCR should take full responsibility of implementation of 12% Muslim quota and make it happen before 2019 elections. Else, he said Muslim community would teach TRS a fitting lesson in next elections.

The AICC leader also slammed the BJP Government at the Centre for making repeated attempts to disturb communal harmony in the country. He said following Moulana Azad's message of peace and communal harmony was the need of the hour.

Abdullah Sohail, in his speech, said that the Congress party would intensify its agitation for 12% Muslim quota. Setting June 2, 2018, as the deadline for implementation of 12% Muslim quota, he said that the Congress party would organise awareness programmes for the next 203 days. Meanwhile, it will keep sending reminders to the Chief Minister once in every 10 days till the next Formation Day of Telangana.