TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who will take oath as the first Chief Minister of Telangana on June 2, has invited the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen to join his Cabinet. The latter, however, declined the offer and promised to extend full cooperation to the new government.
The offer came at a meeting held by Majlis leaders with Mr. Rao here on Thursday. “We are not interested in occupying posts of power. Our dream is to see Telangana become one of the best performing States,” Majlis president Asaduddin Owaisi told the TRS chief. There is, however, talk of his younger sibling Akbaruddin Owaisi being offered the Deputy Chief Minister post.
During the hour-long meeting, Mr. Owaisi insisted that Hyderabad’s famous icon Charminar be reflected in the new logo of Telangana State.
The hoary monument was a symbol of ‘Ganga-Jamuni’ culture of Hyderabad and should become the identity of Telangana, Mr. Owaisi said. Mr. Rao promised to accommodate Charminar in the logo of the new State.
The Majlis leaders urged Mr. Rao to enact legislation on the lines of the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill to enhance police accountability and check discriminatory exercise of powers in the event of identity-based violence.
The Centre could not enact the legislation as law and order was a State subject.
Telangana should become the first State to do so, Mr. Owaisi said. Apart from minorities, it would inspire confidence among the ‘settlers’, he said.