To
The Hon. Chief Minister
Telangana State
“Telangana for Peace and Unity” is a group of concerned citizens and organizations who have been involved both in Telangana statehood movement and in communal harmony work for decades.
We are deeply troubled by the increasing communal attacks on Muslims and Christians in the country, and worried about the potential sources of disruption of communal harmony that has largely existed since 2014 in Telangana.
As a successful leader in the forefront of Telangana separate statehood movement, more than anyone, you are aware of the glorious history of cosmopolitanism that is the hallmark of Telangana state for over 400 years. The state always attracted artists, academics, entrepreneurs, poets,professionals,and scholars from all over the globe and continues to be warm, welcoming after the formation of the state in 2014. Being a melting pot of multiple cultures, the state prospered through its acceptance and celebration of diversity. You have also on several occasions spoken of our Tehzeeb and the need to cherish it.
Over the last few years, some right-wing communal elements are sparing no effort to poison the social environment to create trouble and to stir-up old wounds and grievances to disturb peace. Legislators like Raja Singh have carried on relentless abusive campaigns targeting the minorities, and with money and muscle have made political space for themselves. Some other leaders from the Sangh Parivar are working vigorously in the district centres like Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Adilabad with similar intensity.
Unless these efforts are nipped in their early stages, the communal poison will spread and severely damage the social fabric and the economic prospects of the state, in particular the future of our youth.
In this context, our group “Telangana for Peace and Unity” proposes to work with the people of Telangana, and in the city of Hyderabad, to wean away those attracted to communal politics to preserve the composite tolerant culture of Telangana. The younger generation is unfamiliar with the long history of communal amity, except for some brief periods, that the state enjoyed. We will add our energies to the efforts of the state in achieving this goal.
Many of us in the group “Telangana for Peace and Unity” have worked together with the state machinery to support the migrant labour during the Covid lockdown.Several have been duly honoured for their efforts by your government.
At a time when large parts of the nation are reeling under communal ttensions, targeting minorities, we would like people, civil society and the government ofTelangana to present an exemplary model of working together to uphold peace and unity. The Chief Minister must also strongly reassure the minorities in the state of peace and security.
We would like to acknowledge the secular initiative of the Telangana assembly in passing a resolution against the CAA-NRC-NPR. It is time once again for the state government to take the lead in conveying to the nation, the BJP government, and the communal elements that Telangana shall always stand for peaceful coexistence of all faiths.
We sincerely hope that the administration and the police facilitate and support our efforts.
With regards 20 April 2022
Telangana for Peace and Harmony
A collective of concerned citizens, academicians, activists,
rights organizations of women, childrenand farmers,
civil society organizations
Jeevan Kumar
K Sajaya
Vimala Morthala
Kiran Vissa
Mazhar Hussain
Maria Tabassum
Meera Sanghamitra
Khaleda Parveen
Jhansi
Padmaja Shaw
M Sandhya
Sarah Mathews
Md Shakeel
Krishna Kumari
Imran Siddiqui
(Sent by Prof. Padmaja Shaw
