Congress failed to keep promises made in “Minority Declaration”: Harish

Former Minister T Harish Rao accused the Congress government of failing to fulfil its 2023 minority welfare promises. He alleged inadequate funding for minority corporations and overseas scholarships and criticised the government over irrigation and development issues in Gajwel

Siddipet: Former Minister T Harish Rao alleged that the Congress government had failed to fulfil the promises made in its Minority Declaration ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

Addressing a meeting of the Turuka Kasha Community Hakkula Sadhana Samithi in Gajwel on Sunday, Harish Rao said the Congress had promised to increase the allocation for minority welfare to Rs 4,000 crore, against the Rs 1,800 crore released by the BRS government.

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However, he alleged that the Congress government had spent only Rs 1,300 crore, Rs 500 crore less than the amount released by the previous BRS government.

He also alleged that the Turuka Kasha and Minority Corporations were not receiving any funds. Harish Rao said the BRS government had spent Rs 1,550 crore on overseas scholarships for minorities during its tenure.

In contrast, he claimed that the Congress government had spent only Rs 14 crore on the scheme over the past three years, which he said showed that the government had neglected Muslim minorities. The State’s minority overseas scholarship scheme is currently operational, with the government also releasing funds to beneficiaries in September.

Rao further alleged that employees of the Minority Corporation and Urdu Academy had not been paid salaries for a year.

Elaborating on the development of Gajwel, Rao said former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had transformed the constituency during his 10 years as its MLA. He said the BRS government had built multiple reservoirs under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme.

Rao alleged that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had failed to lift water from the Godavari this year, forcing farmers to suffer. He also listed various development and welfare schemes implemented by the BRS government during its 10-year tenure.