Owaisi brothers no less patriotic than Modi and Shah, says Revanth Reddy

Telangana chief minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday defended AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and his younger brother, MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, saying they were no less patriotic than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.

Speaking after inaugurating a bridge in Hyderabad, Reddy said he completely rejected suggestions that the Owaisi brothers were opposed to the country.

The chief minister recalled that Asaduddin Owaisi had joined him and other Congress leaders at a rally held in solidarity with Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor and had prayed for the country’s victory.

While political differences and criticism were legitimate, nobody could question the patriotism of the AIMIM leaders, he said.

“They are patriots. I would like to say with emphasis, with responsibility, as chief minister, they are no less in patriotism compared to Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. In safeguarding the country, they will never step back. It could be different politics,” Reddy said.

He noted that the AIMIM leaders may have campaigned against Modi, Shah and even the Congress in elections, but said political competition was a normal part of the electoral process.

Reddy also accused the opposition BRS and BJP of attempting to obstruct the Telangana government’s Musi Rejuvenation project. He said the initiative was aimed at transforming the riverfront and promoting a night-time economy in Hyderabad, which would create employment opportunities for members of the local Muslim community.

Reddy also criticised the previous BRS government for allegedly neglecting infrastructure development in Hyderabad during its 10-year tenure. He claimed that it had confined itself to laying foundation stones without allocating adequate funds for projects.

The Telangana chief minister further accused the BJP of adopting contradictory positions by praising Gujarat’s Sabarmati riverfront development and the Namami Gange programme in Uttar Pradesh while opposing the Musi project in Hyderabad.

Reaffirming his government’s emphasis on communal harmony, Reddy said Telangana could progress only when Hindus and Muslims remained united and worked together.

Speaking at the event, Asaduddin Owaisi said the AIMIM supported the government because of its faith in Revanth Reddy’s leadership rather than its affiliation with the Congress.

“I don’t have any hesitation in saying that we (AIMIM) are supporting the government in the name of Revanth Reddy and not in the name of any (Congress) party,” Owaisi said.

He pointed out that the AIMIM had earlier supported the BRS and said his party now wanted Hyderabad and Telangana to advance during Reddy’s tenure.

“We don’t want communalism to grow in the state. We don’t want to see the situation in Telangana which is seen in different parts of the country,” he said, expressing hope that the chief minister would take the state to greater heights.

Owaisi also urged Reddy to permit a weekly night market in the Charminar area, allowing shops and hotels to remain open for longer and generate greater economic activity.

With PTI inputs