Telangana CM's comments 'Cong means Muslims' kicks up row, BJP calls it 'highly objectionable'
_vb_76.jpeg)
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Thursday hit out at Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his comments that "Congress means Muslims and Muslims means Congress", saying the grand old party is indulging in vote bank politics.
Rao further alleged that CM Reddy is "frustrated" and that the Congress is speaking the language of Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM.
"Maximum communal riots took place under Congress rule. So how can he say that Congress means Muslims? However, this is a communal thing, highly objectionable. I think the chief minister is frustrated because he is going to lose the election (Jubilee Hills bypoll). Therefore, he only wants Muslim votes, he is not thinking of the Hindu votes," the BJP leader told PTI.
Addressing a campaign rally here on Thursday, the CM criticised Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy for opposing the recent induction of former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin into the Council of Ministers.
What is Kishan Reddy's problem if a leader belonging to minorities was made a minister, he had asked.
"The Congress government provided many opportunities to minorities. It was only Congress that gave big posts to the minorities. Congress means Muslims and Muslims means Congress," Reddy had said.
Earlier, speaking to PTI Videos, Rao alleged that Reddy was indulging in Muslim appeasement to gain the votes of the community in the November 11 bypoll to Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency here.
Reddy, who was also wearing a cap, had become "Revanth Uddin" during his campaign, for the sake of votes of 20 per cent of Muslims, he claimed.
"It is clear that his (Reddy) comments are vote bank politics. He says Muslims get respect because of Congress. Congress did not ensure respect for Muslims. In fact, Congress hurts the respect of Muslims by treating them as vote bank. It is important whether Congress is ensuring education, medical facilities, livelihood opportunities and housing to Muslims or not," Rao said.
The BRS is also following the same policies and both parties are ignoring 80 per cent Hindus for the sake of 20 per cent votes of Muslims, he alleged.
The bypoll is necessitated due to the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year, following a heart attack.
While the BJP has fielded Deepak Reddy, Gopinath’s widow Sunita is the BRS candidate. The ruling Congress’ candidate is also supported by the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
