Muslim leaders in TRS should quit party and posts over 12% quota: Congress

Hyderabad : Congress senior leader Shaik Abdullah Sohail on Friday demanded that Muslims leaders associated with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi should quit the party and their posts following failure of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao in implementing promised 12% reservation for Muslims.

Sohail, who is also the chairman of Greater Hyderabad City Congress (GHCC) Minorities Department, announced that efforts would be made to meet and convince all top leaders including Deputy CM Mahmood Ali to resign from his post and the party to register protest on community's behalf over failure of TRS Government in implementing 12% Muslim quota. He said TRS got overwhelming support from the Muslims after KCR promised to give 12% reservation within four months after coming to power. However, even after four years the promise remained unimplemented. "KCR first delayed the issue on one pretext or the other.

He even claimed that Prime Minister Narender Modi had promised to support the 12% Muslim quota. Having remained silent for the last four years, TRS MPs tried to make some noise in the current budget session only to give a fabricated impression that their party was serious on the issue. Now KCR has exhausted all his options. His arsenal is completely empty now. He has no more weapons left to continue to cheat the Muslim community. His betrayal and cheating has been established beyond doubt and the only thing left is punishment which his party TRS will face in next elections," he said.

Abdullah Sohail said Muslims leaders of TRS should stop acting as tools into the hands of KCR to mislead their community. "The time has come now for the Muslim leaders to choose between the community and the party. Either they should quit their posts and party to prove their commitment towards the community or they should go against the community to continue their support for KCR and TRS.

KCR openly supported BJP Government at the Centre on all its moves. He never opened his mouth against the lynching in the name of cow slaughter. TRS MPs remained mute on other issues like attacks on Muslim community, Love Jihad or other issues. TRS supported candidates of RSS background in Presidential and Vice Presidential elections. KCR never uttered a single word against PM Modi when he implemented several anti-Muslim decisions. TRS even supported Triple Talaq Bill. Shockingly, Muslim leaders of TRS blindly supported KCR in all his moves. Now this should be stopped immediately," he demanded.

He pointed out that the Congress party had implemented 5% reservation for Muslims in 2004 in just 58 days after coming to power. Though the quota was reduced by 1% following the directives of High Court, it is still under implementation. So far, nearly 20 lakh poor Muslims benefitted from 4% reservation provided by the then Congress Government in 2004. "Muslim community has now realised that it has been openly cheated by KCR in the name of 12% reservation.

We have a long history of fighting against discrimination and injustice. We've lived with dignity and honour. We may embrace poverty with a smile on our faces, but we cannot tolerate humiliation even if it is served in a gold plate. KCR has repeatedly humiliated the Muslim community. He might be under the wrong impression that Muslims was a soft community and could be cheated easily and repeatedly. Therefore, it is essential for the entire Muslim community to convey a strong and clear message to all that we don't tolerate cheating and it can be done by ensuring a humiliating defeat for TRS party in next elections," he said.

Abdullah Sohail appealed to all Muslim leaders to quit the TRS as a protest for non-implementation of 12% quota. Else, he said that those leaders may face 'gherao' and even boycott in near future.