If TDP comes to power in Andhra Pradesh, the party chief Chandrababu Naidu would scrap the 4 percent reservation for backward Muslim communities, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said. Speaking to Sakshi TV, Owaisi talked about the prevailing political situation in the country during the ongoing elections.

He targeted the opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu and his ally Pawan Kalyan and accused them of working hand-in-glove with the BJP to remove the Muslim quota after coming to power. He appealed to people to re-elect CM Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP government which has safeguarded the interests of minorities like Muslims and Dalits in the state.

Sakshi TV: It seems General elections are being contested on Hindu-Muslim equation and reservations for Muslims. What is your view on this?

Asaduddin Owaisi: Prime Minister Modi has created such an atmosphere to divert attention from his government's shortcomings. Previously, achievements like India's rising global stature (Vishwaguru), G-20, Chandrayaan like space missions, and 5 trillion economy goals were highlighted. But now, during election season, the BJP is raking up Hindu-Muslim tensions instead of discussing their accomplishments. This reflects Modi's bias against the Muslim minority community.

Sakshi TV: There are attempts to remove reservations for Muslims in states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and elsewhere. Your thoughts?

Asaduddin Owaisi: In 2004, the then Andhra CM YS Rajasekhar Reddy had promised reservations for Muslims upon the recommendation of the PS Krishnan Committee report. A 4 percent quota for backward Muslim groups within the OBC category was implemented. Scores of Muslim students and youth were benefitted from this reservation until it was stayed by the Supreme Court.

Now that Muslims are progressing economically and educationally, the BJP and RSS are opposed to continuing this reservation as they don't want Muslims to become self-reliant. The reservations are for the socio-economically backward Muslim castes not for Muslims as a religious group.

In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena have tied up with the BJP and are working against Muslim interests by trying to revoke the reservations.

I appeal to people to vote for CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP because the ruling party has safeguarded Muslim and Dalit interests despite the state's post-bifurcation challenges. CM Jagan is secular while Naidu has compromised on minority welfare aligning with the BJP which instigated anti-Muslim riots. Muslims can never trust Naidu who has no concern for their community.