Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi has criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy alleging that funds not only under SC and ST sub-plans but also those meant for welfare of minorities were diverted in the last eight years.
Owaisi targeted Reddy and levelled the allegations during the debate on the SC and ST Sub-Plans Bill in the state Assembly on Sunday.
The seven-member MIM, which withdrew support to the Congress last month, came down heavily on the government in general and the Chief Minister in particular, alleging that funds not only under SC and ST sub-plans but also those meant for welfare of minorities were diverted in the last eight years.
"The Chief Minister is such a failure that he could not conduct meeting of the apex committee on SC and ST sub-plans even once in the last two years. This shows how sincere the government is towards SC and ST welfare."
Akbaruddin remarked in a mocking tone. He went on to add that funds meant for welfare of minorities too were diverted for other purposes.
Intervening at that point, the Chief Minister sought to say his government was committed to minority welfare and enhanced budgetary allocation significantly.
He also tried to hit back at Akbaruddin saying the MIM increased its strength in the Assembly from two to seven only with the support of the Congress.
At that point, Akbaruddin stepped up his attack asserting that the MIM won seven seats (in 2009) on its own strength.
"We never had any alliance with the Congress. In fact, it was the Congress that allied with TRS and other parties. We supported Congress only as a post-poll strategy. In the next elections, MIM will win 15 seats and Congress will be reduced to just 20," Akbaruddin retorted.
The MIM leader also pointed out that the Congress could not secure victory of even one Muslim candidate in the Telangana region.
"If the government is implementing four per cent reservation for Muslims in Andhra Pradesh, it's only because of the MIM. Why did the Congress not provide reservation for Muslims in New Delhi, Rajasthan and Maharashtra," he asked.
The treasuries benches had no answer to this even as Akbaruddin exhorted SCs and STs to come together and emerge as a potent political force in concert with Muslims to grab power.
"Only then justice will be done to these sections," he said.