By Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: Elections are the season for the political parties to woo the minority vote bank by making alluring promises.
The Telugu Desam Party, main opposition in Andhra Pradesh, which had to face the wrath of Muslim community in 2004 election for its support to the BJP led NDA is now trying to wash its sins by making wide range of promises to the community.
In its manifesto for this month’s Lok Sabha and the state assembly elections, the TDP has promised to significantly increase the minority welfare department budget from the present Rs 170 crore to Rs 350 crore.
Releasing the manifesto in Hyderabad, the TDP President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that on coming to power, his government will implement the recommendations of Sachar Committee in the state to uplift the Muslim minority.
With 10% share in the state population, Muslims have a major role to play in the elections in the state in at least 40 assembly and 15 Lok Sabha constituencies. The TDP has also promised to give special powers to the state Waqf Board to protect the massive waqf properties in the state. The party said in its manifesto that it will provide Rs 600 crore to the Waqf Board to run some welfare programs for the community.
While committing itself to continue the 4% reservations for Muslims in education and government jobs, the TDP has also promised to recognize Urdu Alim and Fazil courses as equal to SSC and Intermediate to provide more opportunities to the students of Madarsas in the other educational streams.
The poor Muslims will also get loans up to Rs 25000 from the state minorities finance corporation at a low interest rate of 3%.
The party has also made promises to the other minority communities. Naidu said that his government will take measures to recognize Dalits Christians as scheduled caste. At present when a member of scheduled caste converts to Christianity or any other religion he loses his status of a Dalit and the benefits that go with it.
The TDP has also promised to continue the subsidy for the Christian pilgrims going to Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus Christ. The government would also provide financial assistance to repair the old Churches and for the construction of the new churches.
Naidu’s government was the first in the country to set up the Minorities Welfare Department and gradually increase the minority welfare budget. But his blunder of extending support to the BJP led NDA from 1999 to 2004 and continuing it even after the pogrom in Gujrat had infuriated the Muslim community and Muslims deserted it enmass playing a major role in bringing Congress to power in the last elections.
Largely happy and satisfied over the implementation of 4% reservations and scholarships and fee reimbursement majority of Muslims are continuing to sail with the Congress. However there is rankling in the community over the harassment and victimization it faced from the police in the name of fight against terrorism.
Muslims have been repeatedly saying that police was their biggest problem and they need protection from it. But both the Congress and the TDP manifestos are keeping quiet on the sensitive issue.
The major promises made by the TDP to all sections of society including Muslims include a monthly dole of Rs 2000 to Rs 1000 for the below poverty line families poor families and middle class families, and distribution of color televisions, cheap rice, free electricity to the poor households and farmers and free health care.
TDP is fielding two Muslims for Lok Sabha and six for the AP Assembly elections.