Minorities Committee Skipped Key Issues: Congress

The Telangana Congress on Thursday alleged that the Committee On Welfare Of Minorities In Telangana skipped key issues including the demand for 12% reservation for Muslims in various government sectors.

Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee (GHCC) Minorities Department Chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail said that the committee's meeting, held on Wednesday, failed to discuss key issues.

He also said that the Sudhir Commission, which was assigned the task of studying the socio-economic conditions of Muslims in Telangana, had often complained about non-cooperation by various government departments.

"Instead of finding out the truth behind such reports, some members of the committee tried to give an impression that everything was fine," he said.

"They were trying to defend the State government's delay in providing the promised 12% reservation for Muslims in various government sectors. They also announced that the Sudhir Commission would submit its report by September this year. This statement is only aimed at delaying the process further. The committee should take up a study on the losses incurred by the Muslim community due to this delay," he said.

Sohail further said that the committee should direct the government to form a Backward Class Commission to deliver the promised 12% reservation.

"The committee has also failed to seek a report from the Advocate General on the status of the 4% Muslim quota case pending in the Supreme Court. No representative of the Telangana government was present when the issue was being raised in the court on February 29 this year. The committee should issue the necessary directions to the Law, BC Welfare and Minorities departments to pursue the quota demand seriously," he said.

The Congress leader also slammed the committee members for not questioning the State government over the delay in the constitution of the new Wakf Board, Urdu Academy and other institutions.

"The TRS government had promised to grant judicial powers to the Wakf Board. But it has taken no steps to fulfill the same or restore the encroached Wakf lands," he also said.

Sohail raised other pending issues such as naming Urdu as Telangana's second official language, the utilisation of the minorities' welfare funds, shortage of staff in the Minorities Welfare Department, delay in release of scholarships and fee reimbursement, lack of response to residential school schemes, decrease in Central funds for minorities' welfare, Haj affairs and irregularities in the Shaadi Mubarak scheme.

"The committee is an independent and highly empowered panel. Therefore, its members should perform their duties as per the Terms Of Reference instead of acting as a mouthpiece of the State government," Sohail concluded.