In a significant move aimed at accommodating religious observances during the holy month of Ramzan, the Telangana government granted Muslim employees in government departments, public sector units, and educational institutions permission to leave work an hour earlier than usual.
The new rule, which will come into effect from March 2, 2025, and remain in place until March 31, 2025, allows Muslim employees to depart at 4.00 pm instead of the regular 5.00 pm.
The relaxation, as outlined in an official circular issued by the General Administration Department, applies to all Muslim employees, including teachers, contract and outsourcing staff, as well as employees working in boards, corporations, and the public sector. The move is designed to support employees in observing their religious duties and prayers during the fasting month of Ramzan.
However, the decision has sparked criticism from BJP leaders, who have accused the Telangana government of engaging in what they term “appeasement politics”. BJP MLA T Raja Singh expressed disappointment over the move, claiming that the Congress party had only gained power by relying on Muslim votes, and that such actions represented the peak of appeasement politics. Singh further argued that this decision would deepen religious divides, stating, “Equal rights for all, or none.”
The controversy was further fuelled by comments from BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya on social media platform X, who lambasted the Congress government’s decision as a form of tokenism. Malviya pointed out that no similar concessions are made for Hindus during festivals like Navratri when they observe fasting. He accused the government of reducing the religious observances of one community to mere vote bank politics and called for the move to be opposed.
In response to the criticism, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin defended the government’s move, dismissing the BJP’s accusations as misleading. He said, “BJP is habituated to giving communal statements. On the occasion of Dussehra, a 13-day holiday was given.” He emphasised that the government takes care of all festivals and that the BJP was attempting to mislead the public.
