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The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a sharp attack on Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the Congress over remarks made during Christmas celebrations, accusing the party of linking religious occasions to political interests and vote bank considerations.
BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said it was "quite surprising" that Revanth Reddy had linked the celebration of Christmas to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. "One can understand that in the Congress party everyone would like to please the Nehru-Gandhi family, but is that a reason why you would be saying you are celebrating Christmas?" Kohli said. He questioned why Congress leaders viewed Christians and Muslims through a vote bank lens, adding that festivals should be celebrated for their religious significance and not for political messaging. "If they want to celebrate an occasion like Christmas, shouldn't it be for the sake of that festival rather than for a political purpose?" he asked. Kohli's remarks came after Revanth Reddy, while participating in Christmas celebrations at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday, described December as a "Miracle Month" for Telangana and the Congress party. The CM noted that Sonia Gandhi was born in December and that Telangana was granted statehood in the same month, coinciding with the birth of Jesus Christ. During the event, Revanth Reddy also announced that the Telangana government would introduce a new law in the Assembly to curb religious hatred and penalise those who insult other religions. According to an official press release, the state would also amend existing laws to ensure stringent punishment for offenders who abuse other faiths. "We will bring a law in the Legislative Assembly to punish those who insult other religions. We will also amend the existing acts to punish those who abuse other faiths," the Chief Minister said. Emphasising communal harmony, Reddy said everyone should respect other religions while practising their own faith. He asserted that the government had already acted against those inciting religious hatred and violence. The CM further reiterated that minorities were entitled to all welfare scheme benefits as a matter of right and assured that pending graveyard issues of Christians and Muslims would be addressed soon. (ANI)
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