Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy referred to minority students as “skilled labourers” who have the technical acumen to dismantle and reassemble a Rafale fighter jet, but struggle to retain what they study from books. Reddy also highlighted his government’s welfare schemes for minority communities. His remarks at a minorities summit in Hyderabad on Thursday drew a sharp response from the BJP, which accused the Congress government of “appeasement” and questioned its approach to electricity dues in the Old City of Hyderabad.
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“Students from the minority communities can dismantle and reassemble Rafale [aircraft], but cannot remember lessons from a book,” Reddy said while speaking at the Minorities Excellence Summit at Adivasi Bhavan in Banjara Hills on Thursday (August 13).
The Telangana CM said children from minority communities were “skilled labourers” who might forget what they read but could dismantle and reassemble a Rafale aircraft if given one.
Reddy also highlighted several welfare schemes of the Telangana government, including Shaadi Mubarak, Kalyana Lakshmi, Indiramma Indlu and the Gruha Jyothi scheme, under which households consuming up to 200 units of electricity a month receive free power.
Referring to criticism over electricity consumption in Hyderabad’s Old City, Reddy said, “People, including MLAs in the Assembly, often complain that members of minority communities steal electricity in parts of the Old City [of Hyderabad] and do not pay their bills.”
“Today I want say that with confidence 200 units of electricity that the Congress government in Telangana is giving for free is more useful for our brothers and sisters of minority communities,” he added.
The Telangana chief minister also cited the government’s other welfare programmes, including free bus travel for women under Maha Lakshmi, financial assistance to farmers through Rythu Bharosa and housing assistance under Indiramma Indlu.
HINDU AND MUSLIMS ARE MY TWO EYES: CM REDDY
CM Reddy said that the Congress government in Telangana was committed to ensuring that Muslims received the same welfare benefits as Hindus.
“For me, Hindus and Muslims are not different. They are like my two eyes. Our government is working to ensure that Muslims get the same benefits as Hindus,” he said.
Recalling the Congress government’s earlier initiatives for minorities, Reddy referred to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir and Congress leader Azad.
He said the Congress had sought to make minority youth stakeholders in governance and described the party as committed to secularism. Reddy also highlighted the 4% reservation provided to minorities in the state under the earlier Congress government.
Without naming anyone, Reddy accused some people of creating an atmosphere where minorities are “branded as anti-India”.
“Some people have created an atmosphere where if anyone speaks about minorities everyone feels like the community is anti-India,” he said, adding that it was a strategy of division and provocation.
The Telangana chief minister added that minorities could contribute to the country as teachers and produce “heroes for the nation”.
BJP ACCUSES REVANTH REDDY OF APPEASEMENT POLITICS
The BJP sharply criticised the remarks made by CM Reddy.
BJP Telangana secretary Tulla Veerender Goud, in a post on X on Friday, said the government should enforce the law instead of providing what he described as preferential treatment to a particular community.
“If you cannot enforce the law, step down. But do not surrender!” Goud said.
Reacting to Reddy’s remarks about electricity bills in the Old City, Goud said that if consumers were not paying their dues, the government should take action under the rules.
“Giving free electricity in the name of schemes simply because bills are not being paid is unconstitutional,” he said.
Goud further questioned whether a government unable to collect electricity dues could effectively ensure law and order and protect citizens.
“If Congress means Muslims and Muslims mean Congress, then are you Revanth Reddy or Revanth Uddin?” Goud said, accusing the Congress government of minority appeasement.
“As Chief Minister, govern without discrimination,” he said. “Surrendering to one particular community is not governance,” the Telangana BJP secretary added.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
