Prominent activists and civil society members have called on Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to cancel the ₹70 crore budget allocation for state-sponsored Iftar and Christmas feasts, urging instead that the funds be redirected toward minority welfare programmes.
A resolution passed by activists condemned the use of “Minority Welfare” funds for government-organised Iftar events, arguing that such expenditures divert resources away from crucial initiatives like education, employment, and social upliftment. They labelled the event a “lavish, shameless political show-off” rather than a solemn religious gathering.
Former State Minority Commission Chairman Abid Rasool Khan joined activists LubnaSarwath, Anwarullah Khan, Syed Ismail, and others in demanding a reallocation of funds. In a letter to CM Reddy, they argued that extravagant state-sponsored Iftars contradict Islamic teachings.
“Hosting grand Iftar parties is not an Islamic practice. The Quran explicitly discourages extravagance,” the letter stated. The activists proposed reallocating funds to:
Telangana Minorities Study Circle (S.H. 29) – Increase budget beyond the current ₹4 crore.
Center for Education Development of Minorities (S.H. 23) – Enhance funding beyond ₹3 crore.
Training and Employment for Minorities (S.H. 06) – Expand allocation beyond ₹30 crore.
The activists criticised Telangana’s 2024-25 budget….
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