In response to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to nominate legislator T. Raja Singh, who had previously faced suspension, as their candidate for the Goshamahal Assembly constituency, members of civil society are rallying to encourage the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to put forward a formidable contender.
These civil society advocates stress the critical importance of safeguarding the city’s secular ethos and putting an end to divisive hate speeches. They emphasize that the BRS should not condone objectionable statements, particularly those made by Mr. Singh against Prophet Muhammad, which resulted in his arrest under the Preventive Detention Act. Their call is clear: a resolute stance against all forms of hate speech is essential.
Khalida Parveen, founder of Amoomat Society and a prominent philanthropist, has made a heartfelt appeal to Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and ministers K. T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao, urging them to nominate a “strong candidate” for the Goshamahal constituency. She underscores that Raja Singh has been persistently making inflammatory remarks, and given the BRS’s commitment to Telangana as a secular state, they should uphold this pledge by fielding a robust candidate in Goshamahal.
S. Q. Masood, an office-bearer of ASEEM, an advocacy group, believes that the BRS must dispel any perceptions of an alliance with the BJP. He views this as an opportunity for the BRS and KTR to contest a communal candidate in the Goshamahal constituency, expressing concerns about any efforts that could disrupt communal harmony in Hyderabad and urging their prevention.
