Telangana govt urged to ensure equal concessions for all faiths
February 18, 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday criticised the Indian National Congress government in Telangana over its order allowing Muslim employees to leave offices an hour early during Ramzan. Telangana BJP Chief Spokesperson N V Subhash said that while facilitating religious observances is welcome, similar courtesies should also be extended to the Hindu community to avoid any perception of discrimination.
Subhash cited instances where Hindu employees observing the 41-day Ayyappa Deeksha were allegedly discouraged from attending work in traditional black attire. He also pointed to restrictions often imposed during Hindu festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepavali, including limits on firecrackers. “True secularism lies in equal respect and facilitation for all faiths,” he said, urging the government to adopt a uniform policy framework.
Referring to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s earlier remarks about Congress and Muslims, Subhash said governance must align strictly with Constitutional secularism. The Telangana government had issued an order on February 17 permitting Muslim employees to leave at 4 pm during Ramzan to offer prayers, except in cases of service exigencies.