Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of using Md Azharuddin’s cabinet induction as a distraction from what it described as the Congress government’s failure to deliver on the promises made to Telangana’s Muslims in the Minority Declaration.
‘Tokenism, not transformation’: Sohail targets Revanth
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, senior BRS leader Shaik Abdullah Sohail criticised Revanth Reddy’s Jubilee Hills by-election campaign, calling it symbolic rather than meaningful. He claimed the long-delayed inclusion of a Muslim minister served more as a political diversion than genuine representation.
“Keeping Muslims out of the cabinet for two years is a political injustice,” Sohail said. “Appointing one minister now isn’t empowerment—it’s damage control.”
Loan scheme delayed, not delivered
Sohail slammed the Congress for failing to implement its ₹1,000-crore subsidised loan scheme for minority youth and women. “Not a single rupee has reached beneficiaries in two years. That’s not a delay it’s deception,” he said.
He further revealed that the state spent only ₹1 lakh out of the ₹300 crore allocated in the 2024–25 budget. “Most of that went to office expenses. Budgets without spending are just lies on paper. The Congress promises inclusion but delivers exclusion,” he added.
‘Empowerment’ talk fails to reflect reality
According to Sohail, Muslim-majority areas across Hyderabad, Nizamabad, and Adilabad are witnessing economic distress. He said young workers who once trusted Congress promises are now turning to high-interest private lenders. “Tailors and mechanics in the Old City have shelved business hopes. That’s the ground reality behind Congress’s empowerment claims,” he stated.
Scholarships shelved, digital schemes leave many out
Sohail also criticised the state’s failure to launch the Abdul Kalam Taufa-e-Taleem scholarship scheme. “When youth are denied both loans and scholarships, what future do they have?” he asked.
He dismissed newer schemes like the Indiramma Minority Mahila Yojana and Revanth Anna ka Sahara as “digital band-aids.” Less than 1% of promised funds have been disbursed, he said, while online-only applications exclude large sections without internet access.
‘Revanth dismantled a working system’
Drawing a sharp contrast with the previous administration, Sohail said the BRS government had run a consistent welfare system with transparent disbursals. “Revanth didn’t repair a broken system. He dismantled a working one,” he said.
He demanded immediate activation of the ₹1,000-crore loan programme and the revival of educational assistance. “Telangana’s Muslims want delivery—not decoration,” he asserted, urging voters in Jubilee Hills to confront Congress leaders over the unfulfilled Minority Declaration.
