Shabbir Ali slams BRS for betraying Muslims, says Congress restored true minority welfare
Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Wednesday accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of betraying Muslims during its decade-long rule in Telangana, claiming that the Congress had revived minority welfare through targeted, inclusive reforms.
Speaking at a press conference in Gandhi Bhavan alongside Minister Md Azharuddin and other Congress minority leaders, Shabbir said the BRS lacked any moral right to speak on Muslim welfare. “They ruled for ten years but failed to implement even the 12% reservation promised in 2014. Worse, they neglected the ongoing 4% quota case in the Supreme Court,” he said.
“KCR undermined Muslim, Dalit leadership”
Shabbir Ali accused KCR of deliberately contesting from Kamareddy in 2023 to defeat a Muslim leader. “If he truly cared for minorities, he would have contested against the BJP in Gosha Mahal,” he said. He also alleged that KCR engineered defections to remove Muslim and Dalit Congress leaders from key posts.
“No Muslim was appointed as vice-chancellor, TSPSC member, or even as a public prosecutor under BRS rule,” he said. “They shut Urdu schools, appointed no Urdu teachers, and sealed Waqf records instead of protecting encroached lands.”
“Congress delivering results, not rhetoric”
He said the Congress had sanctioned 2,200 additional engineering seats, established a minority law college and two pharmacy colleges, and approved Rs 225 crore for 76 Young India Integrated Residential Schools. He noted that diet charges had gone up by 40%, girl student allowances by 200%, and that 40,000 new ration cards were issued in Jubilee Hills alone.
“Congress treats Muslims at par with SC, ST, and BC students. We reopened Urdu schools and appointed 500 Urdu teachers. Education is our priority,” he said.
“BRS backed BJP in Parliament, failed minorities at home”
Shabbir accused the BRS of supporting the BJP on 14 bills in Parliament, including Triple Talaq and NRC. “They helped BJP in Delhi while demolishing mosques in Hyderabad. That’s their secularism,” he remarked.
He added that the Congress had completed a caste survey showing Muslims constitute 12.58% of Telangana’s population. “With 10.08% classified as backward, we now have data to defend and expand the 4% quota,” he said.
Defending CM A. Revanth Reddy, he said, “Revanth’s statement that Muslims and Congress are one shows true inclusion. His policies benefit all, without bias.”
Shabbir concluded by urging Jubilee Hills voters to support Congress candidate Naveen Yadav. “Congress stands for unity, not division. We will continue to fight for justice, education, and dignity,” he said.
Minister Azharuddin added that the BRS was spreading falsehoods to divert attention from its failures. He expressed confidence that Congress would win Jubilee Hills by a decisive margin.