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The Print
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Congress in Telangana gave award to Razkar—a propaganda film that demonises Muslims
What did shock me and many others, however, was the Congress-run Telangana government giving Razakar an award at the inaugural Gaddar Telangana Film Awards, under the 'Environment/Heritage/History' category. So when Razakar bagged the Best Cinematography and Best Debut Director awards at the 15th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2025—again, not surprising. It hardly surprised anyone that the movie Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad was produced by Telangana BJP leader Gudur Narayan Reddy. After all, the propaganda film was intended to push the narrative that Muslims in the erstwhile state of Hyderabad attacked Hindus before its annexation into the Indian Union on 17 September 1948. Balladeer Gaddar, a former Naxalite turned activist who fought for Telangana statehood, is a name long associated with the Left in the state. He was linked with everyone who was ideologically opposed to Hindutva and right-wing politics. So the Congress has left many puzzled by awarding a film produced by a BJP leader. What's even more striking is that AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi—who called Chief Minister Revanth Reddy an 'RSS Anna'—has remained silent on the matter. So why is this movie winning an award a problem? For starters, its portrayal of Muslims is a terrible caricature of the community in the state, and it distorts the facts of what happened in the days leading up to Hyderabad's annexation. I tried to watch the movie—but I had to walk out halfway because I simply couldn't take any more. The false portrayals of everything were just too disturbing. Also read: Revanth Reddy is battling a series of PR disasters in Telangana. Gachibowli to HYDRAA What happened in 1948 One of the most ignored aspects of Hyderabad's history growing up was information about the annexation of the erstwhile Hyderabad state. Formed in 1724 as a Mughal vassal state by the Asaf Jahi Nizams, the last Nizam of Hyderabad was Mir Osman Ali Khan, who ruled from 1911 to 1948. The state was one of the largest in India—around 82,698 square miles—including present-day Telangana, five districts of Maharashtra, and three of Karnataka (including Bidar and Gulbarga). It was relatively peaceful, thanks to a treaty with the British East India Company in 1798 and later with the British Crown, under which the Nizams enjoyed semi-autonomous rule. But as independence approached, things changed. Osman Ali Khan—like a few other princely rulers—wanted to stay independent. That became a problem in 1947. But what is often missed is that, even before that, by 1946, peasants in Telangana had started mobilising under the banner of the Communist Party of India (CPI) against extreme feudal oppression. Also read: Kharge on same page as BJP on Telangana's 'Liberation Day' row? 'Hyderabad got azaadi on 17 Sept 1948' The Telangana Rebellion 'Vetti Chakiri'—or bonded labour—was the norm. Thousands of peasants and lower-caste people were forced to slave for Jagirdars (land revenue collectors) who controlled around 60 per cent of the state. Many of these landlords were from dominant Hindu castes. Muslims made up about 10 per cent of the state's population. The Telangana Armed Struggle, a peasant uprising, began in 1946, a year before independence, and lasted until 21 October 1951, when the CPI officially called it off. Hyderabad was annexed on 17 September 1948, when the Indian government under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru sent in the Army after negotiations failed. The military action was also partly driven by fears that the CPI might take control of Telangana (a fact documented in historical records). One major trigger was the rise of the Razakars in 1947—a paramilitary group led by Qasim Razvi, then head of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM). A fanatic, Razvi used the group to terrorise opponents of the Nizam's rule and to attack Hindus. Also read: Modi govt's Hyderabad 'Liberation' Day reopens old wounds. KCR's 'Integration' wiser approach Razakar's propaganda What the Razakars did was horrendous, and many families in Telangana still remember being attacked. That is a fact. But it is also a fact that many Muslims, both inside and outside the government, opposed the Razakars and supported a peaceful transition. Some, like the noted Urdu poet and revolutionary CPI leader Makhdoom Mohiuddin, actively fought the feudal system as part of the Communist-led resistance. The movie Razakar, however, entirely omits this part—especially the CPI-led Telangana armed struggle. Its entire focus is on the Razakar group, which it exploits to paint Muslims in a negative light. This one-sided narrative is partly the result of earlier governments suppressing historical truths, creating a vacuum that others now fill with propaganda. And that's the point. Since Telangana's formation, the BJP has been demanding official recognition of 'Hyderabad Liberation Day'—a phrase meant to imply the state was 'liberated' from Muslim rule. But Osman Ali Khan, after 1948, continued to serve as Rajpramukh (Governor) for a few years, and lived peacefully until his death in 1967. The film essentially claims that Hindus were oppressed and killed by Muslims during the annexation. But it entirely leaves out the brutal, caste-based feudal slavery that Dalits and other oppressed classes suffered at the hands of dominant-caste Jagirdars. Even some Congress leaders in the state were caught off guard by the award. 'They've been blaming our party—blaming Nehru—for the delay in Hyderabad's annexation. So by giving this movie an award, what message are we sending out?' a senior Muslim Congress leader told me. No one else seems to have an answer either. But the BJP seems to be quietly smiling in a corner. Unfortunately, instead of confronting history with facts and nuance, we now have a film that distorts the truth and sows seeds of communalism in Telangana. Yunus Lasania is a Hyderabad-based journalist whose work primarily focuses on politics, history and culture. He tweets @YunusLasania. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
United News of India
05-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Ktk: BJP demands High Court probe in RCB stampede
Bengaluru, June 5 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge and compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the families of each deceased victim in the stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of IPL winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory celebrations. Eleven people died and 33 others were injured on Wednesday in the tragic incident. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress-run Karnataka government, BJP state president Vijayendra Yediyurappa held it "squarely responsible" for the stampede. He said the incident denoted a "criminal failure of governance". Addressing a media conference, Vijayendra accused the Congress government of turning a celebration into a "catastrophe" through its "gross negligence". "This was not an accident — this was avoidable, and it happened because the state government failed in its fundamental duty to protect its people. When over two lakh fans had gathered, there was no crowd management, no police preparedness, and no safety protocol," he said. The BJP leader alleged that while chaos unfolded at the Stadium, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Sivakumar and other cabinet colleagues were busy near the Vidhana Soudha taking selfies with IPL players. 'At a time when deaths were already being reported, ministers were engaged in photo sessions. This is the height of insensitivity,' he remarked. Taking serious objection to the Chief Minister's statement that the tragedy occurred only at the stadium and not near the seat of government, Vijayendra said, 'This is a clear attempt to deflect responsibility. While lakhs gathered for celebrations, the police were deployed to guard the VIP zone around the Vidhana Soudha. The state failed to ensure any security for the masses.' Rejecting the state government's decision to order a magisterial inquiry, he said such probes lack the power to summon senior officials and ministers. 'This is a matter of criminal negligence. A sitting High Court judge must conduct an independent probe. Anything less is a cover-up,' Vijayendra said, adding that the deaths should not be treated as mere 'unnatural deaths' but as a result of administrative recklessness. Vijayendra also raked up the issue of compensation, contrasting the state's earlier announcement of Rs 25 lakh to the family of a man who died in an elephant stampede in Kerala. 'Why not Rs 50 lakh for each family that lost a loved one here in Bengaluru due to the government's failure?' he asked, demanding the government announce the enhanced ex gratia immediately. He further urged the government to reach out to the RCB owners, reportedly based in Dubai or London, so that they also contribute to the relief package for the victims' families. Finally, Vijayendra warned the Congress government against attempting to pin the blame on the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). 'This is not about cricket associations. The state gave the green signal for the event and failed to ensure infrastructure and safety. That is criminal misconduct,' he said. UNI BDN SSP
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Donated ₹25 lakhs to National Herald, says Karnataka deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar
Amid reports of his name figuring in the ED charge sheet in the National Herald case, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday (May 23, 2025) said he and his brother D.K. Suresh have donated money to the Congress-run newspaper. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah backed his deputy, saying there is nothing wrong in donating money. 'Me and D.K. Suresh donated ₹25 lakh each to National Herald. What is wrong in that. We have donated to a newspaper run by our party. What's wrong in that,' Mr. Shivakumar told reporters in Kolhar village in Vijayapura district. He was responding a question by a journalist that his as well as Mr. Suresh's name figures in Enforcement Directorate charge sheet in the National Herald case. When he was told that ₹2.5 crore was donated, he said, "Yes we have given to the Trust. We are not denying it. Did we give it stealthily. No. We have openly given from our income." Asserting that he has donated money, the DCM said he will continue to do the same in future as well. He alleged that there is politics behind mentioning his name in the ED charge sheet. Mr. Shivakumar's brother Mr. Suresh said, "We have donated about ₹2 crore to ₹2.5 crore to the trust. We have answered all the questions raised by the (ED) officers. We are not saying that we have not donated money. We have no information whether donating was wrong." He alleged that the charge sheet has been filed in a manner to fix the Congress leaders. The former MP said the charge sheet was a political gimmick. 'This is not Sonia Gandhi's trust but Young India Trust. We donated to the Young India Trust. This was not an institution for personal gain and it was never used for personal motive,' Mr. Suresh said. To a question, he said the money donated were part of the I-T declaration. Reacting to the ED charge sheet, Mr. Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru, "Is charity wrong? There is nothing wrong in donations."
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Have donated money to National Herald: Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar
Amid reports of his name figuring in the ED charge sheet in the National Herald case, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he and his brother D K Suresh have donated money to the Congress-run newspaper. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah backed his deputy, saying there is nothing wrong in donating money. "Me and D K Suresh donated Rs 25 lakh each to National Herald. What is wrong in that. We have donated to a newspaper run by our party. What's wrong in that," Shivakumar told reporters in Kolhar village in Vijayapura district. He was responding a question by a journalist that his as well as his brother D K Suresh's name figures in Enforcement Directorate charge sheet in the National Herald case. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. When he was told that Rs 2.5 crore was donated, he said, "Yes we have given to the Trust. We are not denying it. Did we give it stealthily. No. We have openly given from our income." Asserting that he has donated money, the DCM said he will continue to do the same in future as well. Live Events He alleged that there is politics behind mentioning his name in the ED charge sheet. Shivakumar's brother Suresh said, "We have donated about Rs two crore to Rs 2.5 crore to the trust. We have answered all the questions raised by the (ED) officers. We are not saying that we have not donated money. We have no information whether donating was wrong," Suresh said in Bengaluru. He alleged that the charge sheet has been filed in a manner to fix the Congress leaders. The charges which will be questioned in the court, Suresh said. The former MP said the charge sheet was a political gimmick. "This is not Sonia Gandhi's trust but Young India Trust . We donated to the Young India Trust. This was not an institution for personal gain and it was never used for personal motive," Suresh said. To a question, he said the money donated were part of the I-T declaration. Reacting to the ED charge sheet, Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru, "Is charity wrong? There is nothing wrong in donations."
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kaleshwaram project ‘irregularities': KCR, nephew among Telangana ex-ministers summoned by probe panel
The Justice P C Ghose commission, investigating alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana, has sent a notice to former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, asking him to appear before it on June 5. Notices were also served to the former CM's nephew Harish Rao, a former irrigation minister; and Etela Rajender, a former finance minister in KCR's Bharat Rashtra Samithi government, who later joined the BJP. While Harish Rao was asked to appear before the commission on June 6, Rajender was summoned on June 9. The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) on the Godavari river in Telangana's Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, across the border from Maharashtra, was designed to supply water for irrigation, as well as for industrial and domestic use over a swath of northern Telangana. Work on the project began in June 2019 when the BRS was in power and KCR was chief minister. The BRS was in power in the state between 2014 and 2023. In February 2024, four months after an incident of flooding at the biggest of the project barrages, the current Congress-run state government asked the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), a statutory body set up under the National Dam Safety Act, for a thorough inspection. The Congress has said that as per the NDSA report, some irregularities have been found in the construction of some of the barrages of the project. Responding to the commission's notice, BRS leader and KCR's daughter K Kavitha wrote on X, 'The notices to KCR garu over the Kaleshwaram project are part of a calculated political conspiracy to tarnish the image of a true people's leader. Kaleshwaram was built for the welfare of farmers and future generations, not for politics. Today, this inefficient Congress government is undoing the very progress Telangana fought for. KCR garu, who has devoted his life to Telangana, transforming barren lands into fields of prosperity, is now being targeted by a visionless regime. No vindictive government can diminish his legacy. The truth will prevail, and history will remember who stood for the people and who tried to bring them down.'
