Hyderabad, Nov 5 (IANS) Under attack from the opposition parties and Muslim groups for reportedly stating that Muslims owe their existence to the Congress party, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Wednesday, claimed that his remarks were distorted.

The Chief Minister also stated that he has been a secular leader since he entered politics.

His clarification came on Wednesday night during the speech at an election rally in Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency, where the by-election is scheduled on November 11.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Muslim groups had condemned Revanth Reddy’s remarks made during the election campaign on Tuesday.

Terming as insulting the reported remark that “Congress hai toh Musalman hai, Congress nahi toh aap kuch nahi” (Muslims exist because of Congress. You are nothing without Congress), Muslim groups had demanded an apology.

At the election rally on Wednesday, the Chief Minister claimed that Congress governments provided many opportunities to minorities.

“It is only Congress that gave big posts to the minorities. Congress means Muslims, and Muslims mean Congress. In our government, Hindus and Muslims are all equal. We don’t discriminate,” he said.

Stating that he won the Kodangal Assembly seat three times with the support of minorities, he claimed that minorities faced no problems during the 20 months of Congress rule in the state.

Reiterating that Congress is committed to the welfare of the Muslims, he alleged that BRS was cheating the Muslims. He reiterated that BRS would soon merge with the BJP.

The Chief Minister criticised Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy for opposing Azharuddin’s inclusion in the state cabinet.

“Why is Kishan Reddy opposing Azharuddin. Is this Kishan Reddy’s fiefdom? What is his problem if a minority leader is given a ministerial post?” he asked.

Revanth Reddy questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not permitting to arrest of former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) in the Kaleshwaram scam and BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) in the formula E race scam.

“The Modi government is harassing political rivals by conducting IT, CBI and ED raids, and the same government is not permitting action against the BRS leaders who were involved in the scams,” the Chief Minister charged.

He said the Prime Minister paid no attention when the state government demanded a CBI inquiry against KCR, who looted Rs 1 lakh crores in the Kaleshwaram project. The Governor also did not allow KTR’s arrest in the Formula E race case.

Alleging that former CM KCR and PM Modi are on one side, the Chief Minister recalled that KCR supported Modi on every occasion. He also claimed that in the Jubilee Hills by-election BJP is supporting BRS.

–IANS

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