Telangana: Bhatti defends HYDRAA’s inaction against Owaisi’s college, says communal colour being added to issue

Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka defended HYDRAA’s inaction against the Owaisi family-run Fatima Educational Campus, citing humanitarian grounds, while addressing criticism over the Congress government’s unfulfilled promises, Rajgopal Reddy’s cabinet remarks, and denying involvement in the alleged phone-tapping controversy

Hyderabad: Defending HYDRAA’s inaction against the Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus built in Salkam Cheruvu, Chandrayangutta, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that in certain cases, the government needed to act on humanitarian grounds.

The Fatima Educational Institute, run by the family of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the old city, has become the centre of a political storm after HYDRAA demolished several houses of poor and middle-class families but refrained from taking similar action against the campus, justifying its decision by saying it was acting in the best interests of students.

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In an interview with a vernacular news channel, Bhatti said some vested interests were attempting to create unnecessary controversy over the issue. “A few people are trying to make the Fatima Educational Institute episode into a communal issue. In a few cases, where the poor and needy are being served, the government needs to act on humanitarian grounds,” he said.

When asked about the implementation of the Congress government’s six guarantees, the Deputy Chief Minister claimed that, except for one, all had been fulfilled. This was even as the Congress government is yet to roll out the monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 to each woman in the State, the Rythu Bharosa scheme for tenant farmers and farm labourers, the monthly pension of Rs 4,000 to senior citizens, Rs 5 lakh credit cards to students, and several other promises.

On Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy’s recent criticism of the Chief Minister and the party, Bhatti said, “I am a witness to the promise made to Rajgopal Reddy. However, at times, in accommodating MLAs into the cabinet, the party high command makes a few decisions.”

Regarding the phone-tapping controversy involving some Congress Ministers, the Deputy Chief Minister asserted that the State government was not engaged in such activities. “Maybe, as per Central government guidelines, the security and vigilance departments might be tapping, but the State government is not,” he claimed.