Rs 70 Crore Iftar Spark Controversy: Will Telangana’s CM Listen to Activists’ Plea?
The announcement of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's grand Dawat-e-Iftar event for 2025, with a staggering budget of Rs 70 crore, has ignited protests and calls for reconsideration.
Hyderabad: The announcement of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s grand Dawat-e-Iftar event for 2025, with a staggering budget of Rs 70 crore, has ignited protests and calls for reconsideration. Several activists and prominent figures from the minority community are urging the government to use these funds for initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of the state’s minorities rather than hosting a lavish iftar gathering.
Table of Contents
Protests Over Wastage of Funds
The decision to allocate Rs 70 crore from the Minority Welfare Fund to the Dawat-e-Iftar has come under heavy scrutiny. Critics, including Dr. Lubna Sarwat, Anwarullah Khan, and Syed Ismail, have written to the Chief Minister, asking him to reconsider the event and instead direct the funds toward addressing pressing issues faced by minorities in Telangana.
In their letter, the activists emphasized that minorities in the state are struggling with crucial challenges in education, healthcare, and employment, making such extravagant events inappropriate. Dr. Sarwat, along with her team, has also engaged in meetings with social workers, journalists, and other community members to push for the cancellation of the event.
Calls for Reallocation of Funds
The activists suggest that the Rs 70 crore earmarked for the iftar event should be redirected to welfare programs that can have a more lasting impact. Their recommendations include increasing the budgets for initiatives such as the Telangana Minorities Study Circle, the Center for Education Development of Minorities, and funding for training and employment opportunities for minorities.
Also Read: Parents Protest New Rule Mandating Telugu in Telangana Schools – Is it Fair?
“The resources should be spent in ways that uplift the community, not on grandiose celebrations,” said Dr. Lubna Sarwat. “The Holy Quran prohibits extravagance, and such events are not reflective of the spirit of Islam.”
Dawat-e-Iftar: A Tradition or Political Tool?
The Dawat-e-Iftar, a tradition of hosting iftar gatherings during the holy month of Ramzan, has been continued by Telangana Chief Ministers, starting with K. Chandrashekhar Rao in 2015. While these events have historically been a platform for fostering communal harmony and goodwill, critics argue that they have become politically motivated and fail to address the real problems faced by the Muslim community in the state.
In response to these concerns, the United Citizens Forum (UCF), a social rights group, has called for a boycott of the Dawat-e-Iftar. They contend that the resources should be channeled toward solving the real socio-economic challenges facing Muslims, such as improving education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
A Divided Opinion
The issue has become a matter of heated debate, with supporters of the iftar event claiming that it is a cultural tradition aimed at promoting peace and unity among different communities. On the other hand, critics argue that such events are not an effective solution to the issues of poverty and underrepresentation that many Muslims in Telangana continue to face.
Former Minorities Commission chairperson, Abid Rasool Khan, has also voiced his opposition to the grand iftar party. He echoed the activists’ sentiments, urging the CM to cancel the event and redirect the funds for more meaningful initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of the Muslim community.
What Lies Ahead?
As the scheduled date for the Dawat-e-Iftar on March 24, 2025, approaches, it remains to be seen whether Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will heed the calls of the activists and reconsider his decision or proceed with the event as planned.
A press meeting is scheduled for March 23 at Somajiguda Press Club, where the activists will continue to push for the cancellation of the iftar event and advocate for the reallocation of funds to more pressing causes.
The controversy surrounding the Dawat-e-Iftar highlights a larger debate over the priorities of the government and the true needs of the minority community in Telangana. As the situation unfolds, it is clear that the public’s demand for meaningful investments in education, healthcare, and employment opportunities continues to grow.
Stay tuned for further developments on this story.
