HyderabadMinorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin sought to showcase the Telangana government’s welfare measures, especially those connected to minorities’ welfare, even as he questioned the conspicuous absence of former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao from the Telangana Assembly.“Minority welfare is a priority for our government. We want our communities to move forward with the help of education, opportunities and effective implementation of welfare programmes,” Mr. Azharuddin said.Alluding to the Madina bus tragedy which led to the loss of several lives, Mr. Azharuddin said that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s immediate response to the accident was appreciable. Mr. Reddy, he said, acted swiftly and sanctioned ex gratia to the families of the victims.“The immediate response of the Chief Minister reflects the sensitivity of the Congress government towards people facing difficult situations. At a time of tragedy, the government stood with the affected families,” Mr. Azharuddin said.“The Chief Minister is working with a clear vision for the future of Telangana. Our government is committed to development that reaches every section of society,” he said, adding that the government is committed to inclusive development.Taking a dig at BRS, he said, “Why has KCR been absent from the Assembly for nearly 1,000 days? If he is unable to attend the House and discharge his responsibilities as Leader of Opposition, he should step down from the post.”He said that KCR regularly attended the Assembly when he was the Chief Minister and ensured that government business was conducted. “Today, when people need their representatives to speak for them, the Opposition must be present in the House.” Published - September 06, 2026 06:55 pm IST