Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 19 (ANI): Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Wednesday defended the state government's decision to reduce work hours for Muslim employees during Ramzan, stating that similar provisions have existed for the past 25 years.

Hitting out at the BJP for politicizing the move, he said, 'When your (BJP's) coalition government is in Andhra Pradesh, a GO was issued on February 11 that all Muslim employees could go for Namaz during the month of Ramazan. This is not new; it has been happening for the last 25 years... We also issued a similar order, and now they are doing politics over it... There should be politics on development, and everything should not be about religion...'

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy criticized the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments for their decision to allow Muslim employees to leave work an hour early during Ramzan, calling it an act of appeasement.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy suggested that, while acknowledging the respect for the 'Iftar' practice, similar consideration should be given to Hindu festivals, advocating for special leave during occasions like 'Ayyappa Swamy Pooja'

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.

Following Telangana's Ramzan order, the Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has also announced that Muslim employees will be allowed to leave work an hour early during the holy month of Ramzan.

The decision comes just days after neighbouring state Telangana, under the Congress-led government, issued a similar directive one that the BJP swiftly criticised as 'appeasement politics'. (ANI)