Hyderabad, May 9 : Hyderabad City Congress Committee (HCCC) Minorities Department Chairman Sameer Waliullah demanded that the State Government distribute cash of Rs. 10,000 each poor Muslim family instead of giving Ramzan Gift which contains a few pair of clothes worth a few hundred rupees.

“Coronavirus pandemic, lockdown, night curfew and other restrictions have shattered the economy badly affecting the daily wage earners and salaried class. Therefore, the State Government should avoid any symbolic gestures of giving Ramzan Gift packs and help the affected people by either giving them cash or depositing the amount in their accounts. “Lakhs of people have lost their jobs and livelihoods.

The TRS leaders should not insult them by giving sub-standard clothes worth a few thousand. The affected people must be treated with honor and should be extended the required help,” Sameer Waliullah said in a media statement on Sunday.

Sameer Waliullah said that almost 80 per cent of funds allocated in the budget for 2020-21 have remained unutilised due to the Covid situation. Therefore, instead of letting those funds lapse, the State Government should use them to help the affected people. He said that almost 70-80% of business was lost due to the night curfew in Telangana.

“While we fully support the steps like lockdown and curfew to control the spread of Covid virus, we also demand that the State Government take appropriate measures to help all the affected people,” he said.

The Congress leader said that a few TRS leaders were trying to divert people’s attention from the failures of the KCR Government by creating the hype around programmes like ‘Ramzan Gifts’. He said that the TRS leaders must stop lying at least in the month of Ramzan and pressurise the State Government to help the affected people by providing them cash assistance.

Sameer Waliullah said that thousands of traders, wholesalers, retailers, shop keepers and even small vendors were badly hit due to the Covid pandemic. He demanded that the State Government introduce a relief package for the middle and low-level businessman and they could be given exemptions in taxation or other reliefs.(UNI)