Why Bathukamma Sarees to Muslims when Ramzan Gifts are not given to Hindus?
Various governments in India have been offering Gifts to public one the eve of festive occassions in order to attract the respective vote bank. Most of the state Governments offer gift packs to minority Communities ( Muslims and Chrisitians ) on Ramzan and Christmas respectively. Every political party in India has been involved in appealing minority vote bank ( Muslims are appx 28% of Indian population and christians around 10% -Unofficial records ) and it costs huge amount of money to the state’s exchequer. The Gift hampers vary from Groceries required to cook delicious festival items to the valuable clothes depending on governments.
Telugu states were the first governments which started to offer Gift hampers for Hindus as well. Telangana state government after the formation of new state started gifting Bathukamma Sarees during the Grand Bathukamma Festival ( Navaratri days of Dussehra ). Around 1.2 crores sarees are gifted to the women of Telangana by the state government. Surprisingly , this is not a gifting programme designed for Hindus but all the Telangana Women. Bathukamma Sarees are offered to Muslim and Christian women too.
Mr. Nara chandra Babu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh started offering groceries to Muslims on the even of Ramzan from 2015 and it is continued by YSRCP government too today. It followed by Christmas gifting and Sankranti Kanuka too.
The Population of Andhra Pradesh is Appx 5 Cr and if you look at the above data , it clearly shows that Muslims are close to One Crore population.
Government of Andhra Pradesh in 2015 offered gifts to 10 lakh BPL Muslim families (there couldbe atleast more one lakh above BPL families ). Each Muslim family would appx have 7-8 members including the grand parents. This can easily make up to 80-90 lakhs of BPL muslim population in Andhra Pradesh and around one lakh above BPL population making the total to almost one Crore muslim population in state.
The “Ramzan Tohfa” consisting of five kg wheat flour, two kg sugar, one kg Vermicelli, 100 grm Ghee etc.. As Quoted by TimesofIndia in 2015.
It is all well and good that different governments are in a sprint competition in appeasing minority communities . However, the minorities are offered Gift hampers not only during their festivals but also during the Hindu festivals.
Andhra’s Sankranthi Kanuka or Telangana’s Bathukamma Sarees are offered to every individual irrespective of their religion.That means, A muslim women too get gifted on Hindu festival but a Hindu Individual is not gifted on the even of Muslim or Christian festival.
This is a pure Minority Appeasement politics by Indian governments which ditch the Hindu majority their right of being treated equally by the governments.
In Budget of 8 Million Sarees , 11 million Sarees are being purchased by Government and this is leading to Poor Quality of Sarees ??
The Bathukamma saree doesnt even cost Rs.150 per saree. It is openly criticized by Hindu Women that the Sarees are of no use but to stay in wardrobe as they are of poor quality. They dont even cost Rs.150 in the market and most of the Telangana women wear better sarees than Bathukamma ones.
Hindu women are meant to be wearing these poor quality Sarees on their festivals. Rather, Government should give a festive bonus of Rs. 500 per family so that they can enjoy a happy feast on the festive day like Bag full of Groceries with Ghee is gifted as Ramzan Thofa! Said a Telangana Daily Labour from Medchal district who didnt like to reveal her name.
Most of them even question as why to give Bathukamma Sarees to millions of Muslim women when they are already getting gifts on Ramzan day ?.
As per some Telangana women, since millions of Muslim and Christian women are added to the recepient list of Bathukamma Sarees, the budget is being diluted and poor quality sarees are being ordered by the government.
When they are meant to give Bathukamma Saree to 80 lakh Beneficiary Hindu women , by adding 2-3 million of other religion the budget is becoming insufficient and probably it is leading to purchase of poor quality Saree which is not even good to mop the floor !
Had the recepients been only Hindu women, the sanctioned funds would be enough to offer good quality Sarees to every Hinduwomen. Thanks to the Minority vote bank Appeasement of Telangana government ! Hindu women are deprived of their right to get good quality saree on the festival.
