Will Bring Bill Against Hate Speech: Revanth

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday said that the Congress government would enact a Bill against hate speech on the lines of the legislation passed by the Karnataka government to protect religious freedom.

“The Congress government in Karnataka recently brought in a Bill to punish hate speech,” the Chief Minister said. “We will soon bring legislation in the Assembly on hate speech.”

“The Telangana government will ensure the liberty to follow one's religion and equal rights for every religion, by bringing that legislation in the budget session (of the Assembly),” he said, speaking at the Christmas celebrations held at the LB stadium on Saturday.

The Chief Minister said that people should respect other religions while practising their own religion. “The government has suppressed those who indulged in attacks on the basis of religion,” he said.

He said December was a miracle month in which the AICC leader Sonia Gandhi was born, when she made the announcement on Telangana statehood, and the Congress government was formed in Telangana in the same month in 2023.

Extending Christmas greetings to the people, the Chief Minister said that everyone must take inspiration from Lord Jesus Christ in terms of doing human service by spreading love and peace. “Jesus Christ gave a message to humanity to love even those who hate us. December, the month of Jesus Christ's birth, is a miracle month,” he said.

“December is not only the month for worshiping Christ but also a month for the people of Telangana and the Congress. The Congress government is working with the inspiration of the teachings of the Lord. We are implementing welfare schemes while maintaining peace in the state,” Revanth Reddy said.

The Chief Minister also praised the Christian missionary schools for providing free education and health, medical services. The missionary schools are now competing with the government in setting up more schools in providing free education to the students. Jawaharlal Nehru gave top priority for education and irrigation in the country. Keeping in view of facilities to Christian communities, the government would provide lands for graveyards.

Explaining the state government’s welfare schemes, the Chief Minister said that the Congress government is implementing people’s friendly welfare schemes in the state. The TGRTC provides free bus service facility for women, the government provided 4.50 lakh Indiramma houses for poor and middle-class people by providing Rs 20,000 crore funds.

The government is also providing fine rice to the people, 200 free units of electricity, waiving off farmers’ loans, issuing new ration cards for eligible candidates, the government has also prepared a document on Telangana Rising 2047 in bringing new reforms to develop the state.

Reddy said that he fully believes that the development and welfare provided to Christians, Muslims and any other minorities is “not anyone's mercy but their right”. “We are here to protect your rights. If your rights are hurt anywhere, our government is ready to correct it,” the Chief Minister said.

He said the problem of the shortage of burial grounds faced by the Christians had come to his notice.

Observing that the government does not have land abutting villages to allocate them for burial grounds, he said the government would provide its lands a bit away from villages for the purpose.

He urged the Christians to arrange vehicles to take the dead bodies where the burial grounds.

The government would take steps to allocate lands for graveyards for Christians and Muslims, though they may be a little far from villages or towns, he said.

He also said the government would make vehicles available to shift dead bodies or encourage voluntary organisations to help, he said.