HYDERABAD: A day after his controversial remarks over the representation of the minorities in paramilitary forces, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday referred to the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme, which promised an increase in the share of jobs for minorities in the Centre, in support of his claims.
Speaking to newsmen here o Tuesday, Owaisi asked, “In the last four years, under Central sector establishments such as banks, railways, and central paramilitary forces, how many recruitments of minorities have taken place? CRPF, CISF, ITPB…public sector banks… these are all under the Central government. I challenge the government of India and the BJP government to issue data. What is wrong in that? That is what we are asking. This is part of 15-point programme. I have every right to ask,” he said.
At a public rally in Gadwal on Monday, Owaisi had blazoned off figures which indicated the low numbers of Muslims in central paramilitary forces. He had said, “In the last four years, Muslim representation in CISF was 3.7 per cent. It was 5.5 per cent in CRPF and 6.9 per cent in Rapid Action Force.” Owaisi, also citing a media report, said that there was “not a single” Muslim in the elite National Security Guards (NSG).
He also rejected Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s claim that the share of Muslims in Central government jobs had increased under the NDA government.
He also recalled a Department of Personnel and Training notification from 2007 which said that if there were at least 10 vacancies in the Central government jobs, the selection committee have a Dalit, a member of the Schedule Castes and one from a religious minority.
Asad also made it clear that if the Telugu Desam Party moves no-confidence motion against the NDA government at the Centre in the monsoon session, his party is ready to support the motion.