Hyderabad: AIMIM Floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on Saturday sought reservations for minorities in software companies like Microsoft and institutions like Indian School of Business etc, since the lands in Manikonda allotted by previous governments to these institutions belonged to the Wakf Board.

He also asked the government to treat minorities on par with SCs and STs and extend all the reservation benefits being provided to them.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during the debate on TS Budget, Mr Owaisi demanded the the government return 700 acres of unutilised prime Wakf lands in city to the Wakf Board to use them for the development of minorities.

The MLA said constructing new Assembly, Secretariat buildings, new residential and official quarters for the CM, ministers, MLAs, IAS, IPS officials etc should not be the priority of the TRS government. “Instead, it should spend maximum funds for the welfare of poor like building 2BHK houses,” he said.

“The previous TD and Congress governments allotted Wakf lands in the city to various corporates and institutions like Microsoft, ISB etc. We are not saying that they should be removed or disturbed. Let them function as usual. What we are demanding is that a certain percentage of employment in these institutions should be given to minorities,” Mr Owaisi said

Among the companies allotted land in Manikonda by the state governments from 2000 onwards were Emaar Properties (550 acres), ISB (260 acres), Lanco Hills Technology Park Pvt Ltd (100 acres), Microsoft (54 acres), Infosys (50 acres), Wipro (30 acres) and Polaris Software (7 acres), the MIM MLA pointed out. Mr Owaisi expressed serious concern over the debt burden of the TS government.

“Telangana state already inherited a debt burden of Rs 60,000 crore from undivided AP. Despite this, the government was trying to obtain more and more loans from foreign banks and other financial institutions. Water Grid and 2BHK housing were relying entirely on loans. Now the government is planning to seek over Rs 77,000 crore to develop infrastructure facilities in Hyderabad. Who will give such huge loans? And how can it be repaid,” Mr Owaisi asked.

He asked the government to implement proposed salary hike for MLAs only after examining the salaries in other states.