Will take up Muslim quota bill with Centre: Telangana CM

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao Sunday said his government will take up the bill providing 12 per cent reservation to Muslims, passed by the state legislature, with the Centre for its nod.

"When I had a meeting with the Prime Minister, I told him that it was our (TRS') election promise to give 12 per cent reservations to Muslims....the Assembly has already passed resolutions in this regard and it was sent to the Centre. He (PM) asked me to send it and promised to look into it positively," said Rao, speaking at an Iftar gathering organised by the government here this evening.

"We will go to Delhi and take up this matter with the Central government and ensure its success (clearance). Or else, Telangana government will not keep quiet. This (reservation) is our right," he said.

The bill, passed by the Telangana legislature, increases reservations in jobs and education for backward sections of Muslim community to 12 per cent from the earlier four.

Earlier, speaking after laying foundation stone of Rs 20-crore Anees-ul-Gurbha Complex in Nampally area, the chief minister said his government accords utmost importance to education of Muslim children.

The state government has set up 204 residential schools for underprivileged children from the Muslim community which will benefit 1.33 lakh students, he said.

Anees-Ul-Gurbha, a shelter house, is functioning in Hyderabad since 1921. It lost some land in road expansion, so the government allotted it 4,000 square yards of land to compensate the loss and sanctioned Rs 20 crore to construct a new complex, a government release said.