Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao hosted the state funded Christmas feast at LB Stadium this year. The TRS government distributed clothes to Christian BPL families, through local Churches spread across the state capital, as part of the clothes distribution scheme which was started last year. At the center, the BJP led government is facing a repercussion from Christians towards observing Good Governance Day on December 25. Although KCR is known to be secular but was targeted by opposition for befriending BJP in the assembly sessions. In lieu of these accusations, the Chief Minister announced relaxation of rules for construction of churches in the state. The other communities would seek permission from local bodies while Christians had to take permission from district collectors for construction of religious places.
The Chief Minister made a series of announcements about the construction of religious or caste based complexes this year. The latest entrant to the ever waiting Banjara Bhavan, Kuruma Bhavan, Komaram Bheem Adivasi Bhavan, Bhramana Sadan is the Christian Bhavan. These facilities take forever to be constructed, on the contrary, KCR got his bungalow built in just nine months with state of the art facilities. The TRS party chief, an ardent believer in Hinduism and Vastu Shastra never stepped into the already available Chief Minister’s camp office fearing its ill effects. There was counterattack not only from opposition but also TJAC convener Kodandaram. KCR hosted an all-faith prayer meeting in the new official residence in the presence of the religious heads of all the major religious communities. This all-faith prayer couldn’t get attention as much as the incident where Rao let his spiritual guru, Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, occupy the chief ministerial chair for good luck. In the very first meeting, the Chief Minister noted that all the state celebrations like Ugadi, Ramzan, Christmas, etc. will be conducted from the new office.
Even though Modi openly claims that he is a Hindu National, KCR upholds his secular thoughts in public. All that jazz it is, nothing goes unnoticed. In a move to entice Muslims, TRS party president earlier said that the party would never align with the BJP. Both the state and national politics operates on the conjecture that India is a confederation of communities. The Chief Minister avoids the tag of being a pseudo-secular but he is known to be keen on minority welfare.
Be it Christmas, Ramzan, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Bathukamma, Bonalu the government released its coffers for organizing festivals. This day and age, it’s on a grand than ever. Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations was the only festival which was state sponsored in united Andhra Pradesh, nonetheless now both the governments of TS and AP are rolling out grants for multiple festivals.
Ramzan is observed on a much larger scale and there is an increase Haj allowance, whereas spending on Muslims was limited to Haj earlier. KCR summoned officials to earmark holidays in academic calendar for festivals in Telangana and take measures to ensure all government and private schools follow this calendar. Every year TRS government makes sure to shower gifts on Ramzan, Christmas and Dusshera.
When the nation has been debating on issues of women entering into temples and mosques, the chief minister said there had been an upsurge in religiosity in the society that is being reflected in increasing number of people visiting temples. The TRS president in several instances said that he would bring back the ‘Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb’. The state is popular for Medak Church, Kolanupaka Jain shrine, Mecca masjid and many popular Hindu temples. Therefore, KCR ensured that the government will also take steps to protect endowment land owned by various temples in the state. The Chief Minister has a personal focus on temple town of Yadagirigutta (renamed Yadadri), with its historic Narasimhaswamy temple, to make it as ‘Tirupati of Telangana’. Promoting religious based schemes is not a new strategy and KCR has been outdoing to blur the lines between government and religion. KCR was purported that on one hand he is endowing Yadadri, Vemulawada and Kondagattu temples crores of rupees, on the other he is not focusing on Bhadradri.
The TRS President has been lambasted for not only being superstitious but also for conducting elaborate five-day ritual, the Ayutha Maha Chandi Yagam or presenting 3.5 crore rupees gold crown to Goddess Bhadrakali. The chief minister has declared to present a necklace to Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala, nose stud to Goddess Sri Kanaka Durga in Vijayawada and pure gold moustache to Lord Kurivi Veerabhadra in Warangal.
It was after the formation of Telangana state that the cabinet approved the presentation of gifts to temples in the telugu states. This country gives its citizens the freedom to practice religion and follow beliefs. Nevertheless, KCR is bound to have personal choices and beliefs, recently he was applauded as “messenger of peace” for promoting the communal harmony in the state.
