TPCC to conduct 30th anniversary celebrations of Muslim reservation

Hyderabad: The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee ( TPCC) has announced a series of events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the introduction of Muslim reservation in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, culminating in a grand event on August 25.

The first Government Order proposing reservation for Muslims was issued on August 25, 1994, by the Congress government led by then chief minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy. The order, GO Ms No 30, was a pioneering move that provided reservations to Muslims along with 14 other backward classes. This was the first such order issued by any State in India, marking the beginning of a policy that has significantly impacted the socio-economic status of the Muslim community.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here on Sunday, Hyderabad DCC President Mohammed Waliullah Sameer and senior leader Mateen Shareef emphasised the transformative nature of the reservation policy.

They stated that the Congress party had revolutionized the lives of nearly 20 lakh poor Muslims by providing a 4 percent quota in jobs and education since 2004-05. Despite interruptions due to legal challenges, the policy has brought substantial improvements to the lives of many poor families over the past two decades.

Sameer highlighted the crucial role of Mohammed Ali Shabbir, who was elected as an MLA in 1989 and initiated the drive for Muslim reservation by establishing the country's first Minorities Welfare Department and introducing a Minority Welfare Budget.

"This celebration aims to highlight the transformative impact of the reservation policy on the lives of poor Muslims and also to honour the contributions of senior leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir, the present Advisor to Telangana Government," he said.

Sameer Waliullah informed that as part of the celebration, the Congress party will conduct campaigns at the grassroots level, in mainstream media, and on social media.

These campaigns will include interactive sessions with beneficiaries of the reservation policy in both Telugu States, highlighting hundreds of success stories. On August 25, a major event is planned with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as the chief guest. The event will feature a documentary, a photo exhibition, and participation from top Congress leaders and Muslim representatives from across the country, Sameer said.

He further said that the details of the events will be disclosed soon.