Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s Christmas Eve speech at LB Stadium in Hyderabad wasn’t just a holiday greeting. He used the moment to lay out where the Congress government stands on religion and politics in the state.
At the heart of his speech: a plan to introduce a law cracking down on hate speech and punishing anyone who insults another religion. He pitched it as a way to keep the peace, but it was also a clear shot at the national scene, where religious tension keeps flaring up.
Revanth Reddy Signals Tough Hate Speech Law in Telangana
Reddy didn’t call out any party by name, but you could tell he wanted the Congress to look like the answer to divisive politics.
He promised that the new law would mean tough consequences for anyone who tries to stir up hatred. “Every citizen is free to practise their religion, but respecting other religions is equally essential.
Any attempt to disturb communal harmony will be dealt with firmly,” he said. He also pointed out that his government has already stamped out some religion-based violence.
Revanth Reddy Promises Legal Shield Against Religious Hate
Even though he delivered this speech at a Christian gathering, he was clearly reaching out to all minorities, especially Muslims. He kept repeating that minority welfare isn’t a handout, it’s a right. And he made it clear that attacks on religious groups would bring serious legal trouble. His point was simple: the State is here to protect minorities, not just with words, but with the law.
Still, Reddy avoided singling out any one community. Instead, he leaned on the universal values taught by Jesus’ love, peace, and service to others to frame the new law as something that includes everyone, not just some. It’s a careful move, really. He’s trying to win over minorities without pushing away Hindu voters who care about harmony.
Just a couple of days before, the Congress government in Karnataka passed its own Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025. That bill stirred up a storm in the Assembly, with plenty of pushback from the Opposition.
With this, Karnataka became the first state in India to roll out a law specifically aimed at hate speech and hate crimes.
