"Reservation alone cannot empower, there's need for more": Ex-Andhra CM Naidu on Muslim quota

New Delhi [India], May 11 : N Chandrababu Naidu, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief, called for a "multi-fold attack approach" to ensure empowerment of all sections and added that giving reservations alone cannot ensure empowerment "from all angles".
In a conversation with ANI, Naidu said that economic empowerment has to be ensured but it should not be based on religion.
Naidu's TDP is fighting the Lok Sabha elections and the Andhra Assembly elections alongside BJP in the state.
On ally partner, BJP's stance against religion-based reservation, the TDP chief said, "What I'm saying, ultimately, everybody has to move towards economic improvement or economic empowerment, not religion-wise. Historically, politically, and culturally, there are some castes or religions that are more backward. Even whenever I'm studying all these things, as a philosophy. Why particular community is backward? Why particular religion is backward? That entirely their thinking process, their association, their gatherings, all these things are making like that."
"Always what I'm saying is why are tribals very backwards? Twenty years back, I started Chaitanyam to create awareness among tribals. Tribals have very rich resources in the tribal agency area. But lack of awareness, they are always backward. Even Muslims, it's the same thing. That's why I said that. Today I am very clear. Multi-fold attack approach we have to take, not only appeasing," Naidu said while speaking to ANI on Muslim quota reservation in the state.
The former Chief Minister said that giving reservations "cannot solve the problem" but has to "think beyond that."
"We have given reservations for SCs, STs and such sections over decades, seven decades. Are they better off today? Is it not your responsibility to do something else, something more? That is where we have to think. Then only empowerment will take place for all sections. Reservation is not the only thing that needs to be done. That is the need of the hour. You cannot ignore that. That alone cannot solve the problem. That's where I protected. First of all, sentiment will have to be protected. But we have to think beyond that and for them. Then only things will change radically," Naidu said.
"I'm not saying reservations you remove. Be clear. That alone cannot empower them from all angles. So it's reservation plus plus. That is where I am working. I am telling you today.
4 per cent reservations. I supported in Supreme Court during my tenure. And then I engaged best advocates to protect the reservations," he added.
The TDP, Janasena and BJP are NDA alliance partners in the southern state.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah have categorically stated that the BJP will not give reservations to Muslims based on religion, contradicting this stance, TDP chief Naidu has promised to preserve the 4 per cent reservation for the Muslims under the OBC category in the state.
Speaking at a public meeting in Andhra's Guntur, Naidu said, "We will preserve the 4 per cent reservations for Muslims and will provide Rs 5,000 in financial assistance every month for mosque maintenance in the state."
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, YSRCP is contesting alone in all 25 parliamentary constituencies and the 175 seats of the state assembly. It is up against the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former CM N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party (JSP).
As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, while the BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.
The voting in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will be held in a single phase on May 13 in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The polling is held in 17 seats in Telangana and 25 seats in Andhra. The assembly elections for 175 seats in the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly will also be held on the same date. The results will be announced on June 4.