Hyderabad, November 11: Mohammed Ali Shabbir, adviser to the Telangana government, has defended the role of welfare measures and affirmative action in improving opportunities for minorities, asking why minority communities should receive “second treatment” in access to public programmes.
Speaking at the National Education Day and Minorities Welfare Day celebrations in Hyderabad on Wednesday, Shabbir referred to the State government’s welfare initiatives, including housing and healthcare schemes. He cited the completion of 2.25 lakh houses under housing programmes and referred to Aarogyasri while arguing that welfare benefits should reach eligible families without discrimination.
He also reiterated that 21 lakh students had benefited from the four per cent reservation framework over the past 20 years. The figure was cited by Shabbir during his address. The reservation framework applies to eligible groups under the relevant provisions and should not be interpreted as a blanket entitlement for every Muslim or minority individual.
Shabbir’s remarks placed education within a wider framework of social and economic opportunity, arguing that access to schooling, healthcare, housing and representation were interconnected. He urged the government and public institutions to ensure that minorities were not left behind in the implementation of welfare programmes.
The programme was organised jointly by the Telangana Urdu Academy and the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS) at Sevalal Banjara Bhavan, Banjara Hills, to mark the 138th birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. The theme was “Taleem se Taraqqi” (Growth Through Education).
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy presented the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad National Award to development economist Prof. Amirullah Khan and the Maqdoom Award to author Qamar Jamali at the event. Minority Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Telangana Urdu Academy Chairman Taher bin Hamdan, Waqf Board Chairman Syed Khusro Pasha and TMREIS president Faheem Qureshi were among those present.
By Syed Khaled Shahbaaz
