Telangana govt permits Muslim staff to leave offices at 4 pm during Ramzan, BJP questions move

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has issued an order permitting all Muslim government employees, teachers, contract, outsourced staff, boards, corporations and public sector employees working in the state to leave their offices/schools at 4 pm during the holy month of Ramzan, i.e., from March 2 to March 31 (both days inclusive) to offer necessary prayers, except when their presence is required due to exigencies of services during the above period.

Telangana Government has issued an order permitting all Government Muslim Employees/Teachers/Contract /Out-sourcing/Boards/ Corporations & Public Sector Employees working in the State to leave their Offices/Schools at 4.00 pm during the Month of Ramzan from 2nd March to 31st… pic.twitter.com/bMXUpxPr3m

— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2025

The order was issued by Chief Secretary to the government, Santhi Kumari. In a letter dated February 15, Santhi Kumari said, “Government hereby permits all the Government Muslim Employees/ Teachers/Contract /Out-sourcing/Boards/Corporations & Public Sector Employees working in the State to leave their Offices/Schools at 4.00 p.m. during the Holy Month of “RAMZAN” ie, from March 02 to March 31 (both days inclusive) to offer necessary prayers, except when their presence is required due to exigencies of services during the above period”.

However, the BJP has attacked the state government by calling this a move a step to appease the Muslim community in the state. “The appeasement bug strikes the Congress government in Telangana, which has approved relaxed work hours for Muslim state employees during Ramzan. No such concessions are ever granted to Hindus when they fast during Navratri. This tokenism isn’t about being sensitive to the religious beliefs of one community but about reducing them to a mere vote bank. It should be opposed”, said BJP leader Amit Malviya in a post on X.

The appeasement bug strikes the Congress government in Telangana, which has approved relaxed work hours for Muslim state employees during Ramzan. No such concessions are ever granted to Hindus when they fast during Navratri. This tokenism isn’t about being sensitive to the… pic.twitter.com/r2cw1NPGRj

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 18, 2025

Another senior BJP leader, P Muralidhar Rao, slammed Chief Minister Revanth Reddy alleging that he was determined to prioritize one section of society.

“The Congress government in Telangana is once again indulging in blatant appeasement, approving relaxed work hours for Muslim employees during Ramzan while never extending such concessions to Hindus during Navratri or Jains during Paryushan. This isn’t about respect for religious practices–it’s about vote bank politics. What kind of secularism is this? Special privileges for one community while others are ignored! CM Revanth Reddy seems determined to prioritize one section while pushing Telangana further down the path of Sharia-style governance. If Congress continues to rule, this bias will only deepen”, Muralidhar Rao said. (ANI)