Hyderabad: Advisor to the Telangana Government for SC, ST, OBC and Minorities Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Saturday said the Congress-led government would take strict action against hate speech. He said the government remained committed to protecting communal harmony across Telangana.
Shabbir Ali made the remarks during a meeting with Mohammed Azharuddin, the newly appointed President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Telangana). The meeting took place at his residence in Jubilee Hills. During the interaction, Azharuddin presented the organisation’s New Year diary. Later, Shabbir Ali felicitated him with a shawl and a bouquet.
Govt committed to curbing divisive forces: Shabbir Ali
During the discussions, the two leaders reviewed the prevailing political and social situation in Telangana. Azharuddin welcomed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s recent announcement on introducing a new law to curb hate speech. He recalled that Jamaat-e-Islami Hind raised the demand during a meeting with the Chief Minister in October.
Thanking Shabbir Ali for following up on the issue, Azharuddin said the proposed legislation would help curb hate speech. He added that it would also safeguard minority communities.
The leaders expressed concern over attempts to polarise society. In particular, they referred to debates on sensitive topics such as ‘Vande Mataram’ and atheism. Shabbir Ali said there was no real controversy over ‘Vande Mataram’ and accused certain forces of reviving old issues to divert attention from public concerns.
He also dismissed the controversy surrounding the atheist views expressed by lyricist Javed Akhtar. According to Shabbir Ali, non-belief had existed throughout history and should not be sensationalised.
Criticising the BJP-led NDA government, Shabbir Ali alleged that sections of the media were promoting communal narratives. He said such efforts were aimed at distracting the public from real issues. At the same time, he said the Telangana government was working closely with NGOs and civil society groups to preserve harmony.
He further said the Chief Minister was committed to inclusive development. According to him, the government wanted people of all communities to benefit equally from the State’s progress.