Cong, TRS engaging in minority appeasement: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah attacked Telangana's TRS government and the Congress on Monday over "minority appeasement", claiming the Congress party's poll manifesto for the state assembly polls largely focused on the welfare of Muslims.

Addressing an election rally here, Shah said the TRS dispensation's decision to raise Muslim quotas in government jobs and state-run educational institutions to 12 per cent resulted in blocking of a proposal for hiking reservations for tribals.

He said the K Chandrasekhar Rao government also talked about separate IT corridors for religious minorities.

Quoting a national TV news channel, the BJP president said it leaked the Congress manifesto that envisaged quotas for minorities in government contracts.

"And if you are not from minority community, you will not get contracts. Rs 20 lakh will be given for education of the students of minority communities. Congress will build separate hospitals for them.

"Urdu teachers' quota will be decided, and if you do not know Urdu, you cannot become a teacher in Telangana," Shah said, citing the TV channel's report, and calling the Congress manifesto "unconstitutional".

The Congress manifesto, which was released yesterday, however, promised free power supply for all temples, mosques, churches and other places of worship. It envisaged judicial power for wakf Board and a sub-plan for religious minorities.

It also spoke about releasing funds for repair of temples, mosques, and churches by introducing a "proper system".

In his speech, Shah wanted to know if the grand alliance led by the Congress, and caretaker chief minister Rao can "liberate" Telangana from AIMIM of Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, a vocal critic of the BJP.

"This Rahul Baba, who is touring Telangana, can he liberate you from MIM? Can his allies TJS and CPI? Will they liberate you from the MIM? Can KCR liberate you from MIM," Shah asked the audience.

He alleged the KCR government does not celebrate September 17, the day the princely state of Hyderabad merged with the Indian union in 1948, as Telangana Liberation Day "out of fear of the Owaisis". Shah promised Telangana Liberation Day will be celebrated in every village if the BJP was voted to power.

The BJP chief said he would have needed a passport to visit Adilabad had legendary Gond leader Komaram Bheem not revolted against the Nizam's rule. Bheem was martyred in 1940 while fighting against the Nizam for forest rights of native people.

Shah wanted to know why KCR's promises of building an airstrip in Adilabad, construction of 18 new lakes, townhall and 2 bedroom houses for poor were not fulfilled.

He claimed while funds under Pradhanmantri Aawas Yojana were not properly utilised in Telangana, in BJP-ruled Maharashtra over 1 lakh houses were built under PMAY and handed over to the beneficiaries.

Of the Rs 80 crore Rao had promised to spend for tribal welfare, not even eight crore was utilised, he claimed.

The BJP leader said Rao chose to keep Telangana out of the Ayushman Bharat scheme as he "feared" it would further boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity.

Over 3.5 lakh people benefited from the scheme in the last two months but the poor of Telangana were left out, he said.

Shah accused Rao of not honouring his promise of making a dalit the chief minister of Telangana and wanted to know if he will project a dalit or tribal as chief ministerial candidate of the TRS.

"I know he will not do that because he wants to elevate his son and daughter," he said.