Telangana: Muslim body says no unconditional support for Congress in LS polls

Mushtaq Mallik alleged that the Congress government in Telangana has humiliated Muslims ever since it came to power.

Hyderabad: Tehreek Muslim Shabban (TMS) president and Telangana Muslim Joint Action Committee (TMJAC) convener Mohammed Mushtaq Mallik on Monday made it clear that Muslim organisations in the state will not unconditionally support the Congress or any other party in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Mushtaq Mallik alleged that the Congress Government in Telangana headed by chief minister A Revanth Reddy has directly or indirectly humiliated Muslims ever since it came to power. “On one side, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi speaks of an ideological battle with the RSS. But on the other hand, the influx of people with RSS or BJP backgrounds in the Congress has increased,” he stated.

He pointed out the inclusion of ex-BJP leader Jitender Reddy, who was given an official state position by the Revanth Reddy government.

Mushtaq Mallik and they are given essential government positions. For instance, he said that within a day of joining Congress, BJP leader Jithender Reddy was appointed as the government’s special representative in New Delhi and advisor to government (sports affairs) in the rank of state minister.

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“There are several Congress candidates with RSS background or those who made anti-Muslim comments during their stint with the BJP. Many leaders who had a reputation for damaging and encroaching on the Wakf properties recently joined the Congress. Just because they’ve changed the colour of their hands, the Muslims will not accept their leadership. Further, Congress should not try to impose BJP or RSS leaders upon the Muslims in the garb of secularism. Muslim organisations will not only reject such candidates but campaign against them in the coming elections,” he said.

“The Congress party should not be under the impression that the Muslim community and their organisations would support it outrightly fearing that BJP might come to power. Muslims will not cast their vote due to fear of BJP or Narendra Modi. They will cast their vote depending upon the party and the secular credentials of individual candidates,” Mushtaq Mallik said in a media statement on Monday.

He added that the Congress cannot take Muslim voters for granted expecting them to elect anyone they field. “The Congress government in Telangana did not have a soft beginning as far as its pro-minority approach is concerned. It denied a cabinet berth to any Muslim. Any Muslim leader could’ve been easily inducted into the cabinet, and later could’ve been elected as an MLC” stated Mushtaq Mallik.

He asserted that the state government was aware that recommending the name of journalist Amer Ali Khan under the Governor’s Quota would run into legal complications. “Did the Congress not anticipate that the names of Amer Ali Khan and Prof Kodandaram approved by the cabinet for appointment as MLCs under the Governor’s quota would be challenged?

Mallik stated that the Congress leadership proposed Amer Ali Khan as an MLC only to “mislead” the Muslims and buy some more time. Similarly, Mushtaq Mallik said that Muslims were completely neglected in the nominated posts declared so far.

Further, he also said that the Telangana Minorities Finance Corporation is a small entity with a small budget. “Its chairman does not enjoy the status of a cabinet minister. However, the Congress government separately appointed a vice-chairman for this post in this corporation. If this appointment is legal and perfect, then let them issue orders appointing vice-chairmans for the rest of the corporations in the State,” he said.

Mushtaq Mallik said that the Telangana Muslim JAC will soon have a meeting to discuss the future course of action.