“One Million Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation” campaign, launched by the Minorities Department of Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee, has been going successfully with the collection of more than 10 lakh signatures in different modes.
“We gathered over 10 lakh signatures from different sections of the society for their support for 12% Muslim reservation in Telangana State. Besides hard copy, we got signatures through WhatsApp, email, SMS and other social media platforms. The response has been overwhelming, especially from the youth,” informed GHCC Minorities Department chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail on Wednesday.
Abdullah Sohail informed that at least 35-40% of signatories were non-Muslims. “We approached all sections seeking their support to pressurise Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao fulfil his major election promise. Every person, who signed the petition, felt that the Chief Minister must honour the promise that he made with the people. We got response from all sections including students, traders, petty vendors, housewives, journalists, etc., We wanted to sensitise and create awareness among the people on 12% Muslim reservation promise and we feel that we have succeeded to a great extent,” he said.
He announced that the signature campaign would continue although it has already reached its target of 10 lakh signatures. “As per the instructions of TPCC President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, the “Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation” campaign is going on in all districts. Therefore, we have decided to continue the campaign in the Greater Hyderabad limits. Since we have reached our targets, we will also be helping our party men in other districts in ensuring a successful campaign,” he said. Meanwhile, the process for compilation and analysis of collected signatures has been intensified, he said.
Following huge success of the campaign, Abdullah Sohail said that the Congress party was now planning to launch mass agitation. “We will hold symbolic demonstrations and even ‘gherao’ the TRS Ministers to seek implementation of 12% Muslim reservation,” he said.
Abdullah Sohail also announced that “Muslim Reservation Day” would be organised in the month of July, after the Eid-ul-Fitr, to mark the completion of 12 years of Muslim reservation given by the then Congress Government.(INN)