The Congress on Monday took out a rally from Gandhi Bhavan to General Post Office here, demanding that the TRS government fulfil one of its major election promises — giving 12% reservation in employment and education to Muslims in Telangana.
The ‘Walk for 12% Muslim Reservation’, organised by GHCC Minorities department, was led by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and joined by AICC secretary in-charge of Telangana R. C. Khuntia, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Md. Ali Shabbir and former Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs V. Hanumantha Rao and Ponnala Lakshmaiah participated.
The Congress leaders signed post-cards, requesting Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to fulfil the promise of 12% Muslim reservation. Starting at Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress leaders and activists walked up to the General Post Office at Abids to drop the post-cards in the box. They also raised slogans against the TRS Government and KCR, accusing him of cheating the Muslim community.
Later, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with other senior leaders, addressed a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, where he accused the Chief Minister of “betraying the Muslim community” on the promise of 12% quota. He reminded that the Chief Minister had promised to wage a battle with the Central government for enhanced quota for Muslims. “What happened to the Tsunami that you threatened to bring if Centre rejects 12% Muslim quota? Why did not you hold any protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi? When are you going to take an all-party delegation to Delhi?" he asked.
Mr Reddy alleged that KCR was trying to wash his hands of the promise of 12% Muslim reservation. He said KCR should also apologise for “lying” in the Assembly that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to enhance Muslim quota. “KCR had promised to implement 12% Muslim quota within four months of coming to power. Today TRS government completed 49 months in power and there are no signs of its implementation. TRS should not seek votes from Muslims if 12% quota is not implemented,” he said.