Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 18 (ANI): The Telangana government's move to allow government Muslim employees to leave work at 4 pm during the month of Ramzan has sparked a controversy. After the BJP criticised the move, the advisor to the Telangana government Shabbir Ali on Tuesday reacted to BJP criticism of the Telangana government announcing reduced work hours for Muslim employees for Ramzan.

Mohammad Ali Shabbir, Advisor to Government of Telangana (SC, ST, BC & Minorities), told ANI, '10 years it was TRS government (previously called Bharat Rashtra Samithi) they also gave it (relaxation). After independence, every govt has done so. In Gujarat and other BJP states also, it is the same. It is govt's job to respect every community's festival and provide facilities to them...'

The Telangana Government has issued a government order permitting all the Government Muslim employees, teachers, contract, out-sourcing, boards, corporations and Public Sector employees working in the State to leave their Offices/Schools at 4.00 p.m. 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.

The order was issued by Chief Secretary to 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.

Another Senior BJP leader P Muralidhar Rao slammed CM 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)