Hyderabad: Signalling a tougher stand against divisive rhetoric, chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday said the state govt would introduce separate legislation on hate speech in the upcoming assembly budget session, stressing the need to prevent targeting of minorities.Addressing the Jamiat Ulama Telangana consultative meeting at Shamshabad, the CM said the proposed law would be on the lines of the Karnataka govt’s Hate Speech and Hate Crime (Prevention) Bill, 2025. He said such a legal framework was necessary to ensure social harmony and protect vulnerable communities. Revanth reiterated that the Congress govt accorded top priority to minorities and recalled that it was the Congress, under then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, that introduced 4% reservations for Muslim minorities — a matter currently pending before the Supreme Court. “As and when required, the state govt would provide the details of the minorities to the apex court,” he said.The chief minister’s remarks came a day after BJP national president Nitin Nabin accused the Congress govt of appeasing minorities while ignoring the interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, by cutting funds meant for their welfare, at his Mahbubnagar meeting on Wednesday. The BJP charged the Revanth govt with pursuing selective policies for political gain, an allegation the Congress has rejected, setting the stage for a sharp political confrontation ahead of the municipal elections. CM seeks Muslim supportReferring to the Feb 11 municipal elections, the CM sought the support of Muslim minorities, saying it was their responsibility to ensure the victory of Congress candidates. He said the party came to power in Telangana with the backing of minorities. “The Congress made eight minority leaders chairmen of state corporations and even made Mohammed Azaharuddin a minister and gave tickets to Muslim minorities,” he said. The CM underlined that development depended on unity among communities and strong law and order. He said investments would flow into the state only when peace prevailed and all religions and sections of society moved forward together.
