TRS govt\'s Muslim quota move aimed at "hijacking" voters: Naqvi

TRS govt's Muslim quota move aimed at "hijacking" voters: Naqvi

Press Trust of India  |  Hyderabad 

The Telangana government's decision to give 12 per cent quota to Muslims in the state has no constitutional validity, Abbas said Tuesday, alleging it was aimed at "hijacking" the voters for electoral gains.

Some parties, despite knowing that religion-based reservation was not possible, come out with such decisions only to "hijack the voters", Naqvi, on the campaign trail said, targeting the government.

"Everybody knows even KCR (as K Chandrashekar Rao is popularly known) and also the party that on the basis of religion it is not possible to give any type of reservation.

The first thing is Constitution does not allow such reservation," the told PTI here.

"People need to be aware about such things," he said, reacting to the TRS and caretaker minister K Chandrashekar Rao's promise in this regard.

The had earlier passed a bill increasing reservation in jobs and education for backward sections of the Muslim community to 12 per cent from the earlier four per cent.

The bill is yet to get the Centre's approval.

Monday alleged the caretaker was betraying the country and insulting the Constitution B R Ambedkar by proposing religion-based reservation with 12 per cent quota for Muslim minority while "stealing the rights of Dalits."

The would never allow religion-based reservations as it is "unconstitutional," party recently said.

On demands by some in the BJP and the RSS for bringing out an ordinance for construction of at Ayodhya, said "it would have been ideal had there been an amicable settlement. Unfortunately, there is delay..there is demand from saints and seers and it is natural."

"BJP is in favour of construction of Ram temple," he said but refused to comment if the Centre would promulgate an Ordinance in this regard.

Naqvi, meanwhile, said in a statement that some people and parties have opened "communal auction centre of votes" where the self-styled "champions of secularism" "bid" for votes.

Some people "mercilessly and shamefully" bid for votes, sometimes in the name of religion and sometime making people afraid of the BJP. But nefarious design of these "vote ke saudagar" (traders of votes) have been exposed, he claimed.

He said the followed the policy of "empowerment without appeasement" and development with dignity.

It has been successful in creating an atmosphere of development with trust among all sections of society without any discrimination during the last four-and-half-years, he said.

The Opposition, especially, the Congress, has been suffering from "bankruptcy of facts. That is the reason the leaders are making personal attacks against Prime Minister," he said.

"Sometimes Rahul Gandhi, some other party and sometimes Owaisis...they are masters of abusing and a competition is going on who is the champion of abusing. But the people of the country will teach these people a lesson," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Tue, December 04 2018. 18:20 IST