Muslims insecure in BJP-ruled States, says Harish Rao

Addressing the gathering after distributing BC Bandhu and Minority Bandhu cheques to beneficiaries in Patancheru, Harish Rao said Telangana was the most peaceful State for minorities in the country

Sangareddy: Finance Minister T Harish Rao said Muslims living in States ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were leading an insecure life. and called upon the community to be aware of what was exactly happening in BJP-ruled States.

Addressing the gathering after distributing BC Bandhu and Minority Bandhu cheques to beneficiaries in Patancheru on Saturday, the Minister said Telangana was the most peaceful State for minorities in the country. BJP and Congress-ruled States were also ignoring the welfare and development of minorities in India.

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Stating that the Congress had never done anything for the welfare of minorities in the country, Harish Rao said the Congress was coming out with mere gimmicks in the name of declarations ahead of the elections. The party should instead explain why it could not implement in 60 years what the BRS government had done in the last nine years.He also asked the Congress party to implement promises the party was making in Telangana first in States it was in power.

Accusing both national parties of ignoring the development of minorities, he said the BRS government had granted Rs.2,200 crore in the annual budget for minorities in Telangana. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal had a much larger Muslim population than Telangana, but had much lesser budget allocations.

The Telangana government had built 212 residential institutes for minorities during the last nine years, he said, appealing to the Muslims and other sections of people in Patancheru to support Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao in the coming elections.

The Metro extension upto Isnapur would be possible only if the BRS came to power for the third consecutive time.

The Minister handed over BC Bandhu cheques to 283 beneficiaries, Minority Bandhu cheques to 99 beneficiaries, Kalyana Lakshmi, Shaadi Mubarak cheques to 85 beneficaries, house site pattas to 44 beneficiaries under GO 58 and house site pattas to 13 beneficiaries under GO 59.

District Collector Dr A Sharath, MLA Mahipal Reddy, BRS leaders V Bhupal Reddy, K Satyanarayana, and others were present.