Labour Minister Danam Nagender on Wednesday blamed Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for taking "unilateral decisions" that "forced" the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen to
withdraw support to the Congress government in the state.
In an informal chat with reporters at Gandhi Bhavan, Danam said that the Chief Minister "could have easily avoided a confrontation" by speaking to MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi over the temple issue.
"Before allowing local authorities to erect a tarpaulin over the Bhagyalakshmi Temple, the Chief Minister should have consulted Owaisi to take him into confidence," he said.
However, Danam expressed confidence that the MIM would revoke its decision.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Danam had said that talks were still on with the MIM leadership, and that efforts were being made to convince Asaduddin Owaisi to restore his ties with the Congress. Defending the Chief Minister, he said that the temple abutting Charminar had existed for a long time, and that Kiran Kumar Reddy had only ensured that the High Court orders were properly implemented.
Stating that it is wrong to brand the Chief Minister as communal, Nagender held the Bharatiya Janata Party responsible for the recent communal disturbances in the city. (INN)