BJP ally Chandrababu Naidu promises 4 percent Muslim reservation amid PM Modi’s ‘no to religion-based quota’

Updated May 9, 2024 10:58 IST

Amid the debate over ‘Muslim reservations’, the Telugu Desham Party (TDP) is calling for reservation for Muslims in Andhra Pradesh. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, while addressing a Praja Galam rally in Guntur, said the TDP has been actively fighting for Muslim reservations in the state, asserting that it is the party’s duty to fulfill its promises. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said he would not allow reservations on the basis of religion. Prime Minister Modi further said that no reservations from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be given to Muslims until his lifetime.

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu (L) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) | File photo

In the midst of the ‘Muslim reservationDuring the debate, the Telugu Desham Party (TDP) is advocating reservation for Muslims in Andhra Pradesh.

TDP chief N Chandrababu NaiduSpeaking at a Praja Galam rally in Guntur, said that the TDP has been actively fighting for Islamic reservations in the state, asserting that it is the party’s duty to fulfill its promises.

“We will maintain 4 percent reservation for Muslims and provide Rs 5,000 in financial assistance every month for maintenance of mosques in the state,” he said.

Naidu has also promised to set up the Noor Basha Corporation and allocate Rs 100 crore to it annually if he is elected to power in the state.

“We will provide pensions to individuals from minority communities above the age of 50 years. Besides, we will allocate spaces for Eidgahs and cemeteries in major cities for minorities,” he added.

PM Modi About Muslim reservations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said he would not allow reservation on the basis of religion. Prime Minister Modi further said that no reservations from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be given to Muslims until his lifetime. “Till Modi is alive, the reservations of SCs, STs and BCs will not give it to Muslims,” he added.

Muslims in Andhra Pradesh

According to the 2011 census, Muslims in Andhra Pradesh constitute about 9.5 percent of the population.

The former AP CM also announced plans to provide financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to Muslims undertaking the Haj Yatra and provide Rs 5 lakh in interest-free loans through a minority finance company.

Moreover, he mentioned that Imams and Maujans will receive honoraria of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively, while qualified Imams will be appointed as government Qazis.

The Grand NDA Coalition in Andhra

The TDP, Janasena and BJP are NDA alliance partners in the southern state. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, YSRCP will contest only in all 25 parliamentary constituencies and the 175 state assembly seats. It is pitted against the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the erstwhile CM N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Pawan Kalyan’s Party (JSP). .

As part of a seat-sharing deal between NDA partners, the TDP was allotted 144 Assembly constituencies and 17 Lok Sabha, while the BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.

Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats. Elections to the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for May 13 and counting of votes will take place on June 4.

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