As the resignation spree for Telangana gains momentum among public representatives, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen refuses to follow suit. The party legislators would not quit and complete their full term.
“There is no question of our MLAs resigning. Moreover, separate Telangana or unified Andhra was never our electoral agenda”, said Majlis president, Asaduddin Owaisi. Whether it was the elections in 2004 and 2009 or the GHMC polls, the Majlis did not go to the people seeking votes in the name of Telangana or unified Andhra.
Uplift of minorities, Dalits and Backward Classes was its core agenda always. “Therefore, we are not morally bound to resign. Those who sought votes in the name of Telangana are answerable to the people,” the Hyderabad MP said.
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The Majlis, he feels, represents the hopes and aspirations of minorities in the entire State although its legislators are elected from Hyderabad.
The Majlis legislators are therefore bound to serve the people for the full-term.
“If there is a constitutional breakdown leading to election in the State, we are ready to face it,” Mr. Asaduddin remarked.
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He wonders why only seven Muslim MLAs are elected and that too from Hyderabad when there are 119 Assembly seats in Telangana region.
And how could the other parts of the State send only three Muslim legislators and not a single MP.
“What kind of pluralism and diversity we are practicing,” he asked.
His party stand, Mr. Asaduddin said, was very clear on the Telangana issue. It is for a united Andhra and if bifurcation of the State becomes inevitable then Hyderabad should be the capital of Telangana along with Rayalaseema.
The real issue, he said, was sharing of the river waters. What would happen to Nagarjunasagar, Pulichintala and other irrigation projects.
The Krishna Water Tribunal had reduced water allocation for the State and there were problems with Maharashtra and Karnataka on this front.
Debt
Moreover, the State had a huge debt of Rs. 1,30,000 crore and there was no clarity on how it would be divided among the two regions.
“But nobody is talking about all this and only raising the bogey of Hyderabad,” the Majlis leader deplored.