Naidu Addresses Iftar Dinner, Vows to Empower Muslim Community and Launch Poverty Alleviation Program
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu participated in the Iftar dinner hosted by the state government at the A Convention in Vijayawada, where he offered prayers alongside Muslim religious leaders and later addressed the gathering.
During his address, Naidu emphasized the Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) long-standing support for the Muslim community and reaffirmed his commitment to their economic upliftment. “We will work towards the economic development of underprivileged Muslim families,” he said. “TDP has always been a strong ally to the Muslim community. We will ensure the protection of Waqf Board properties.”
Naidu took the opportunity to reflect on his decades of involvement in Iftar celebrations, having attended them for 40 years. He acknowledged the importance of Ramadan as a month of spiritual discipline, charity, and devotion, praising the Muslim community for their fasting and prayers during the holy month. “Ramadan is a sacred time, and Muslims pray for the welfare of society. The Quran teaches us that those who are financially stable should help the poor,” Naidu added.
Reinforcing the historical ties between the TDP and the Muslim community, Naidu highlighted several initiatives that the party had undertaken during its rule in united Andhra Pradesh. “It was N. T. Rama Rao who first established the Finance Corporation for Muslims. We made Urdu the second official language in the united state and built the Hajj House in Hyderabad to facilitate travel to Mecca. Under TDP’s governance, Muslims have consistently benefited from various welfare programs,” Naidu remarked.
Naidu also touched upon some of the recent initiatives the state government has launched for the Muslim community. “We established Urdu Universities in Hyderabad and Kurnool. We have also constructed Hajj Houses in Kadapa, and we are planning one in Vijayawada,” he said. “Between 2014 and 2019, the TDP government provided ₹163 crore under the ‘Dulhan Scheme’ for 32,722 minority brides.”
Further, Naidu announced new measures to ensure greater welfare for the Muslim community, including increased honorariums for Imams and Muezzins. “As promised in our manifesto, we have increased the honorarium for Imams to ₹10,000 and Muezzins to ₹5,000. In the recent budget, we allocated ₹5,434 crore for Muslim minorities—an increase of ₹1,300 crore from the previous budget,” he said.
Naidu also reiterated his commitment to preserving communal harmony while empowering Muslims. “We are dedicated to not only preserving communal harmony but also empowering Muslims in every way possible,” he stated. He also urged attendees to embody the spirit of Zakat by contributing to the welfare of the poor.
In a significant announcement, Naidu introduced the new “P4” program aimed at poverty alleviation. “To eradicate poverty, we are launching the P4 program this month. Under this initiative, the top 10% of society will support the bottom 20% of the economically disadvantaged,” Naidu explained. “Even today, many poor people struggle to afford basic necessities like food and education. This initiative will help lift them out of poverty.”
Concluding his speech, Naidu expressed his life-long dedication to improving the lives of the underprivileged. “My mission in life is to stand by the underprivileged. Through the P4 policy, we aim to create a more equitable society,” he said.
