Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy referred to minority college students as “expert labourers” who’ve the technical acumen to dismantle and reassemble a Rafale fighter jet, however battle to retain what they research from books. Reddy additionally highlighted his authorities’s welfare schemes for minority communities. His remarks at a minorities summit in Hyderabad on Thursday drew a pointy response from the BJP, which accused the Congress authorities of “appeasement” and questioned its method to electrical energy dues within the Previous Metropolis of Hyderabad.
“College students from the minority communities can dismantle and reassemble Rafale [aircraft], however can not bear in mind classes from a e book,” Reddy stated whereas speaking at the Minorities Excellence Summit at Adivasi Bhavan in Banjara Hills on Thursday (August 13).
The Telangana CM stated youngsters from minority communities had been “expert labourers” who would possibly neglect what they learn however may dismantle and reassemble a Rafale plane if given one.
Reddy additionally highlighted a number of welfare schemes of the Telangana authorities, together with Shaadi Mubarak, Kalyana Lakshmi, Indiramma Indlu and the Gruha Jyothi scheme, beneath which households consuming as much as 200 items of electrical energy a month obtain free energy.
Referring to criticism over electrical energy consumption in Hyderabad’s Previous Metropolis, Reddy stated, “Individuals, together with MLAs within the Meeting, typically complain that members of minority communities steal electrical energy in elements of the Previous Metropolis [of Hyderabad] and don’t pay their payments.”
“In the present day I would like say that with confidence 200 items of electrical energy that the Congress authorities in Telangana is giving freely is extra helpful for our brothers and sisters of minority communities,” he added.
The Telangana chief minister additionally cited the federal government’s different welfare programmes, together with free bus journey for girls beneath Maha Lakshmi, monetary help to farmers via Rythu Bharosa and housing help beneath Indiramma Indlu.
HINDU AND MUSLIMS ARE MY TWO EYES: CM REDDY
CM Reddy stated that the Congress authorities in Telangana was dedicated to making sure that Muslims received the same welfare benefits as Hindus.
“For me, Hindus and Muslims aren’t totally different. They’re like my two eyes. Our authorities is working to make sure that Muslims get the identical advantages as Hindus,” he stated.
Recalling the Congress authorities’s earlier initiatives for minorities, Reddy referred to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir and Congress chief Azad.
He stated the Congress had sought to make minority youth stakeholders in governance and described the social gathering as dedicated to secularism. Reddy additionally highlighted the 4% reservation offered to minorities within the state beneath the sooner Congress authorities.
With out naming anybody, Reddy accused some individuals of making an environment the place minorities are “branded as anti-India”.
“Some individuals have created an environment the place if anybody speaks about minorities everybody feels just like the neighborhood is anti-India,” he stated, including that it was a technique of division and provocation.
The Telangana chief minister added that minorities may contribute to the nation as academics and produce “heroes for the nation”.
BJP ACCUSES REVANTH REDDY OF APPEASEMENT POLITICS
The BJP sharply criticised the remarks made by CM Reddy.
BJP Telangana secretary Tulla Veerender Goud, in a publish on X on Friday, stated the federal government ought to implement the regulation as a substitute of offering what he described as preferential remedy to a specific neighborhood.
“When you can not implement the regulation, step down. However don’t give up!” Goud stated.
Reacting to Reddy’s remarks about electrical energy payments within the Previous Metropolis, Goud stated that if shoppers weren’t paying their dues, the federal government ought to take motion beneath the principles.
“Giving free electrical energy within the identify of schemes just because payments aren’t being paid is unconstitutional,” he stated.
Goud additional questioned whether or not a authorities unable to gather electrical energy dues may successfully guarantee regulation and order and shield residents.
“If Congress means Muslims and Muslims imply Congress, then are you Revanth Reddy or Revanth Uddin?” Goud stated, accusing the Congress authorities of minority appeasement.
“As Chief Minister, govern with out discrimination,” he stated. “Surrendering to at least one explicit neighborhood shouldn’t be governance,” the Telangana BJP secretary added.
– Ends
