The great divide: Muslims split on Telangana state
While Muslims form 41 per cent of the population in Hyderabad, they account for just 8.4 per cent of the population in the rest of Telangana. However, Muslims in both the regions are unsure about their security in a separate state.
“Muslims in Telangana are looking at higher reservation quotas which are being promised. On the other hand, they worry about communal conflict in a smaller state. The uncertainties over new political configurations have a bearing on the psychology of the Muslims, especially in the context of their safety and security,” observes the Srikrishna report.
The AIMIM, led by Hyderabad MP Assaduddin Owaisi, told the Srikrishna Committee that a united Andhra Pradesh was in the overall interest of Muslims. His main contention was that Muslims would be safer in a united Andhra than in a separate Telangana. “We would rather prefer a united state than a separate Telangana. There are social, economical and security issues. If division is inevitable, then a Greater Telangana should be created which combines Telangana and Rayalaseema,” he says.
But Muslim groups in Telangana feel that they are neglected and have remained backward, but are
