On Friday (April 1), the K Chandrashekar Rao-led Telangana government announced that all Muslim employees will be allowed to leave offices an hour early during the Islamic month of Ramzan, reported The Times of India. The notification was issued by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar.
“Permission to all Muslim Government Employees/ Contract/ Out-sourcing/ Boards/ Public Sector Employees to leave Offices / Schools early by an hour during the month of Ramzan from 03.04.2022 to 02.05.2022 (both days inclusive) – Accorded,” the circular read.
The notification further added that all Muslim government employees could leave at 4 pm between April 3 and May 2 this year to perform necessary rituals, except when their presence is required due to exigencies of services during the same period.
A copy of the government circular was sent to all Heads of Departments, all Departments of the Secretariat, DGP Hyderabad, the Director of School Education in Hyderabad, and other concerned departments.
Past accusations of minority appeasement against KCR government
This is not the first time KCR government has been accused of promoting minority appeasement. Earlier in 2020, KCR government was reported to have spent a whopping Rs 5,639.44 crore in its 6 years towards minorities-centric benefits in the state.
Whether it is education or scholarships, financial assistance for marriage or development of religious places, employment or subsidies, the K Chandrashekhar Rao government in Telangana has been too generous to dole out a panoply of benefits for the state minorities, a report published in the Telangana Today said.
The Telangana government had gone out of the way to dispense benefits based on one’s religious identity. Residents belonging to minority communities such as Muslims, Sikhs, Christians have been at the receiving end of the state’s largesse. Whereas Hindus, the majority in the state, have been deemed ineligible on account of their faith to qualify for these welfare benefits.
