VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has reiterated that a Muslim minority leader will be inducted into his Cabinet. Speaking after flagging off the first batch of Haj pilgrimage buses from the Grievance Hall at his residence in Undavalli near here on Friday, he said the responsibility of giving a ministerial berth to a minority leader lies on him and a decision will be taken in this regard at the earliest.
Stating that his government is committed to the welfare of minorities, he promised to extend support for the social and economic uplift of Muslim community. Finding fault with the Centre for imposing GST on Haj pilgrimage, he said the State government will fight against it until the tax on Haj pilgrimage is waived.
The TDP entered into an alliance with the BJP for protecting the interests of AP after the State bifurcation. As the BJP government failed to fulfil bifurcation promises, the TDP came out of NDA, he said.
Referring to triple talaq issue, the Chief Minister said he is the first one to oppose prosecution of Muslims and now the Central government came up with some amendments to the Bill.
As many as 2,348 people are going for Haj pilgrimage from Andhra Pradesh, including 1,247 men and 1,101 women this time. The Haj pilgrims include a 2-month-old baby Lukhman of Anantapur and 77-year-old Sayed Salimabi of Amaravati. Asserting that Haj pilgrims will be provided with direct flight service to Mecca from Vijayawada from 2019, he said at present some of the pilgrims are departing from Hyderabad and others from Bangalore airports.
He said a Model Haj House will be constructed in Vijayawada at a cost of `80 crore and another Haj House will be built at Kadapa at a cost of `12 crore. Wakf properties in the State will be protected and the income generated from them will be utilised for the welfare of Muslims. A sum of `1,100 crore was allocated for minority welfare in the budget. An amount of `20 crore was allocated for construction of Shadikhanas and another `20 crore for beautification of mosques in the State, the Chief Minister added.
Haj Committee Chairman Ahmed Hussain, Wakf Board Chairman Jaleel Khan and other members were present.
Haj pilgrimage
CM flags off first batch of Haj pilgrimage buses
2,348 Haj pilgrims from AP
1,247 men, 1,101 women
Haj pilgrims include 2-month-old Lukhman
of Anantapur and
77-year-old Sayed Salimabi of Amaravati
Model Haj House in Vijayawada at a cost
of L80 crore
Another Haj House in Kadapa at a cost of
L12 crore