Hyderabad : In a groundbreaking development, Congress party’s senior leader and TPCC Minorities Declaration Draft Committee Chairman, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, announced a revolutionary initiative aimed at empowering minorities in Telangana State. Addressing the media after the Committee’s final open session in Hyderabad, Shabbir revealed that the party has received an overwhelming response from over 150 Muslim organizations and various minority groups, emphasizing their suggestions for the party’s Minorities Declaration.
The key highlights of the declaration include:
- Rs 5,000 Crore Budget Allocation: The Congress party plans to allocate a substantial budget of Rs 5,000 crores exclusively for minority welfare, signaling a major financial boost to uplift minority communities.
- Minorities Sub-Plan: In a move mirroring SC and ST Sub-Plans, Congress aims to implement a dedicated Minorities Sub-Plan, ensuring targeted development initiatives for minority groups.
- Enhanced Marriage Scheme Budget: The party intends to increase the budget for the marriage scheme, addressing a critical need within minority communities.
- Anti-Discrimination Legislation: Congress plans to introduce a separate law to counter discrimination on religious grounds, underscoring its commitment to promoting equality and social justice.
Shabbir Ali, while discussing the significant impact of previous Congress initiatives, highlighted the party’s historical 4% Muslim reservation policy, which transformed the lives of countless underprivileged Muslim families in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He condemned the discontinuation of essential welfare programs by the present government, including the closure of 50 out of 56 minority engineering and professional colleges sanctioned by the previous Congress administration.
Moreover, Congress expressed its willingness to explore further suggestions, including granting permissions for new medical, engineering, and professional colleges. The proposal to establish a private minority university is also under consideration, emphasizing the party’s commitment to fostering education and knowledge dissemination within minority communities.
The Committee, led by TPCC President A. Revanth Reddy, is in the final stages of refining the suggestions received and is poised to present the comprehensive Minorities Declaration to the public. The declaration’s official release, expected in the coming days, is anticipated to chart a new course for minority empowerment and social progress in Telangana State.
Congress leaders, including TPCC Vice President Zafar Javeed and AICC Secretary Mansoor Ali Khan, expressed confidence in the party’s return to power and highlighted the overwhelming support from various minority organizations. Notably, Justice Ibrahim Siddiqui, representing the Ahle Hadees sect, declared his support for the Congress party in the upcoming Assembly elections, underlining the growing momentum behind Congress’s inclusive vision for a progressive Telangana.
Prominent figures such as Sabir Peer of Jamiat-ul-Ulema E Hind TS, Ghouse Mohiuddin of Pvt Minority Institutions Association, Brother Varghese, Mohammed Saleem of JAC, and social activist Sara Mathews, along with representatives from various organizations, actively participated in the open session, contributing valuable insights to the shaping of Congress’s visionary Minorities Declaration.
