Late YSR gained confidence of minorities

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi has criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy alleging that funds not only under SC and ST sub-plans but also funds meant for welfare of all minorities too were diverted for other purposes.

Reacting to Owaisi comments the Chief Minister said that his government was committed to minority welfare. Later, the MIM lambasted the CM  saying  "that the Chief Minister is such a failure that he could not conduct a meeting of the apex committee on SC and ST sub-plan even once in the last two years. This shows how sincere the government is towards SC and ST welfare", Owaisi said.

 Recalling the services of late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, he said "This state has been really missing late YSR. He  brought us (Muslims) close to the Congress. We really miss that leader. He worked hard to regain the confidence of the minorities in the state," said Owaisi.

The Congress governments could not provide reservation for Muslims in Delhi, Rajasthan and Maharashtra,  but it was YSR who implemented it in the state. "It was he who had given four per cent reservation for Muslims," he added.

There was a war of words between the CM and Owaisi when  Kiran Reddy said that the MIM  had increased its strength in the Assembly from two to seven only with the support of the Congress. Reacting to this, Owaisi came down heavily on the CM and said that "MIM won seven seats on its own strength. We never had any alliance with the Congress. We supported Congress only as a post-poll strategy," the MIM leader added.

- Siva@sakshipost