Despite announcing official celebration of Minorities Welfare Day on the occasion of 126th birth anniversary of Moulana Abul Kalaam Azad on Tuesday, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao himself restrained from participating in the event held at Ravindra Bharathi.
The Chief Minister, who had issued specific instructions to the officials to celebrate the occasion as Minorities Welfare Day at the State-level, preferred to stay in the Legislative Assembly premises than going to the opposite building of Ravindra Bharathi. He left the House at about 10.25 AM and returned at 12.05 PM. The reporters covering Assembly proceedings were under the impression that the Chief Minister had gone to participate in Moulana Azad’s birthday celebrations. However, he reportedly did not leave the Assembly premises and was present in his chambers.
Expecting the arrival of the Chief Minister, the District Minorities Welfare Officer and Education Officer had gathered large number of school children at Ravindra Bharathi since 9 AM. But neither the Chief Minister attended the programme, nor top leaders of other political parties participated in the official celebrations. While Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali represented the government, MLC Farooq Hussain was the lone representative from the Congress party. Former MLA Christine Lazarus also participated in the event besides senior officials including Minority Department Principal Secretary Ahmed Nadeem, Director Minorities Welfare MJ Akbar and TSMFC MD Prof SA Shukoor.
In the end, it turned out to be a routine event with symbolic participation from the government. It may be mentioned that the Chief Minister had visited Adilabad to participate in the anniversary of martyrdom of tribal leader Kommaram Bheem and also ensured his participation in events related to famous personalities. However, he decided to skip the birth anniversary celebrations of Moulana Azad, the famous freedom fighter and country’s first education minister. (INN)