VIJAYAWADA: Labour and Employment Minister G Jayaram on Wednesday likened Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to Allah, Jesus, Shirdi Sai Baba and Ambedkar for the schemes rolled out by the State government for different sections of people.
While moving the AP Employment of Local Candidates in the industries/factories Bill, 2019, intended to provide 75 per cent employment to locals in industries, in the Assembly, the minister said, “I am hailing from Boya community and for us he (Jagan) is a Valmiki (author of Ramayana), for SCs he is Ambedkar, for Muslims he is Allah and Jesus for Christians.’’
The remarks left the YSRC members, including Jagan and Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, in splits. The TDP members were not present in the House at that time.
Though the Chief Minister showed signs to desist him from making such remarks, he went on and likened Jagan to Shirdi Sai Baba.
Mentioning Sai Baba’s ‘Sabka Malik Ek Hai’ quote, the minister said Jagan was extending the benefits of welfare schemes to all eligible people irrespective of caste, creed and party affiliations. When the Speaker intervened, the minister highlighted the salient features of the Bill.