Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy launched the campaign “One Million Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation” at Gandhi Bhavan here on Monday. The signature campaign would be run by Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee’s Minorities Department.
Uttam Kumar Reddy became the first signatory for the campaign which aims to collect 10 lakh signatures till April 20. He said besides Greater Hyderabad, the signature campaign would be run across the Telangana State. He said that the campaign was designed to create awareness among people and put pressure on the ruling TRS government to fulfill its poll promise. He reminded that it was on April 20, 2014, when Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao promised to give 12% Muslim quota within four months after coming to power.
GHCC Minorities Department chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail informed that the campaign “One Million Yes for 12% Muslim Reservation” would be run across the 24 assembly constituencies till April 20, to mark the second anniversary of promise made by KCR. He said door-to-door campaign would be carried out and Congress leaders would take signatures of people. A day-long dharna and hunger strike is also being planned. He said that the signatures taken during the campaign would be compiled in a CD form and would be submitted to the Chief Minister.
Siasat Urdu Daily News Editor Amer Ali Khan announced his complete support to the campaign. He said that KCR had promised to give the 12% reservations for Muslims within four months of coming to power. However, the promise did not materialise even after 22 months. He said, “We have been engaging ourselves in the campaign for reservations for Muslims in the State and would support the campaign run by the Congress party.”
“We demand that the State Government constitute a BC Commission for expediting the process of reservations instead of dilly dallying the issue by Enquiry Commission. Whatever BC Commission recommends can be implemented and if there would be any deficit to the promised 12 percentage of reservations, then the State could approach the Centre seeking amendment in Schedule 9,” said Amer Ali Khan.
However, Amer Ali Khan expressed doubts over possible amendments in Schedule 9 as BJP Government gave clear indications during recently held Bihar elections that it could complete do away with entire reservation system. He said instead of following Kerela or Tamil Nadu models, Telangana Government could set a new example by giving reservation to Muslims on the basis of their backwardness. He said that the strategy of the TRS Government for reservations was appearing to pass off the issue and would not yield any positive results.
Senior Congress leaders including Dr. J. Geetha Reddy, TPCC Chief Spokesperson Dr. Shravan Kumar, TPCC Minorities Dept Chairman Mohammed Fakhruddin, GHCC Secretary Syed Nizamuddin, Youth Congress president Anil Kumar Yadav, AIYC General Secretary Azmath Hussain, ex-Corporators Wajid Hussain, Mohammed Ghouse and Meraj Mohammed, Vijaya Kumar Naidu, Sajid Shareef, Srinivas Goud, Lakshman Goud, Ali, Khaja Pasha and other senior leaders were also present.
People from different walks of life have also signed the campaign poster and announced their support. (INN)