From references to the rule under Bharath Rashtra Samithi (BRS) as being ruled by “Razakars”, to fielding candidates who have suggested ‘surgical-strikes’ on the old city (of Hyderabad), Telangana has witnessed a campaign peppered with hate over the whole year. Who are the main players in this hate campaign, who are the affected people, and what are the real life results of hate is what this report seeks to highlight.
‘Save Telangana from Modern-Day Razakar’s,’ proclaimed Home Minister for the Union Government, Amit Shah in his speech at Adilabad on October 10, 2023, reported the Deccan Herald. Shah sounded the hate bugle so to say for the Telangana state assembly campaign. He then brought up the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, “The Congress government had earlier dragged the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. However, PM Modi took the initiative to construct the shrine and the grand temple will be ready by January, 2024.”
While it comes as no surprise that the BJP has spearheaded this communal campaign, like most of their other campaigns other electoral forays, in Telangana. Statements drawing analogies with the Razakars, Nizam etc., have peppered the speeches of leaders big and small, from office-bearers of the party who hold ministerial positions, to the union home minister himself, to the member’s one of their student wing, BJYM.
As the Telangana elections draw close, with polling day on November 30, and Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) K Chandrasekhar Rao’s, often referred to as KCR, current term ends, how has the state fared on the harmony quotient this year?
Only days before, news surfaced of the alleged use of paper containing “Quranic verses” in firecrackers after some people discovered it. Following this, on October 23, the Musheerabad police lodged a complaint against a fireworks manufacturer for causing offense to religious sentiments. The firecrackers were from a local vendor who was operating a stall in front of Musheerabad’s Ek Minar Masjid whereas the cracker producer is reportedly based in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. The complainant has demanded strict action against the two.
This story was originally published in sabrangindia.in. Read the full story here .