Vijayawada, March 27 (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday called Ramadan a month of discipline, charity and reflection at an Iftar party hosted by the state government in Vijayawada.

The chief minister joined Muslims in their prayers and reaffirmed his commitment to uplifting poor Muslims and protecting Wakf Board properties in the state.

"We established Urdu universities in Hyderabad and Kurnool, and a Haj House in Kadapa. Between 2014 and 2019, we provided ‘Dulhan’ assistance to 32,722 minority brides at Rs 163 crore," said the chief minister at the Iftar party.

The NDA coalition government is working to uplift poor Muslim families while ensuring the protection of Wakf Board properties as TDP has always supported the Muslim community, said Naidu.

The TDP supremo said that the party shares a strong bond with Muslims as it extended several benefits in united Andhra Pradesh while NTR (NT Rama Rao) established a finance corporation and made Urdu the second official language, including building Haj House and protecting Wakf properties.

Naidu said that the state government has increased honoraria for Imams to Rs 10,000 and for Mouzans to Rs 5,000 while allocating Rs 5,434 crore for Muslim minorities with an increase of Rs 1,300 crore from the previous year.

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Mumbai (PTI): Debutant Ashwani Kumar's 4 for 24 and Ryan Rickelton's unbeaten 62 handed Mumbai Indians a comfortable eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League match here on Monday.

Opting to bowl, MI rode on Kumar's brilliant display with the ball to bundle out KKR for 116 before they chased down the target in 12.5 overs.

Left-arm pacer Kumar became the first Indian to take four wickets on an IPL debut and help restrict KKR, who were bowled out in 16.2 overs.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi top-scored for KKR with 26 off 16 balls.

Brief Scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders: 116 all out in 16.2 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 26; Ashwani Kumar 4/24).

Mumbai Indians: 121 for 2 in 12.5 overs (Ryan Rickleton 62 not out; Andre Russell 2/35).