The former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the minority community that it was the TDP that launched several welfare programmes for Muslims.
In close interaction with the members of the Muslim community at Ponnur in Guntur district, Naidu said, "when the TDP came to power in 1983, within two years, in 1985 itself, Minorities Corporation was formed keeping in view the welfare of the Muslims, while Urdu was recognised as second official language later."
"the TDP chief said that Huz House was set up to enable Muslims to go on the Huz pilgrimage from Hyderabad and financial assistance was provided to them.
"Maintaining that Urdu University was established by the TDP in Hyderabad and after the State is divided another Urdu University was set up in Kurnool," he said adding that it is the TDP that provided Ramzan Tofa for over 10 lakh Muslims.
"Even Sankranthi Kanuka was extended during the TDP rule to the Muslim community," the former chief minister said adding that Hyderabad city never witnessed communal clashes after the TDP came to power.
"The other schemes that were launched after 2014 for the welfare of the community, have now been cancelled," he said.
"Why the Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, could not continue the Pelli Kanuka scheme though he had promised Rs 10 lakh under the scheme," he asked.
"There is no need for the basic qualification of SSC either to become a Minister in his Cabinet or to become an advisor to the Government but to be eligible to Pelli Kanuka scheme the beneficiary should have a basic qualification of SSC," he remarked in a sarcastic way.
He also promised to revive all the schemes once the TDP is back in power.
Observing that he has encouraged higher education by setting up more engineering colleges and encouraged the IT sector only to provide better employment, the TDP supremo said, "The 33 per cent reservation for women is yielding good results."
"Now you cannot question the Government on any issue and if you raise any issue you will be ready to face cases," he added.
Naidu called upon the Muslim community to react when such false cases are registered against anyone.
"Tomorrow you may have to face the same situation if you do not react now," he observed.
He expressed serious concern that the wakf lands are being illegally occupied and promised to save the wakf properties once the TDP is back in power and the pensions too will be paid on time.
Maintaining that investments are moving out of Andhra Pradesh as the industrialists are scared of Jagan Mohan Reddy, he said he will bring back all the industries once the TDP comes back to power.
( With inputs from ANI )
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