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Telangana Cabinet paves way for anti-hate speech, gig workers Bills

Once passed, Telangana will become the second Congress-ruled state after Karnataka to pass such a legislation.

revanth reddyUnder this Bill, as earlier announced by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, 15 percent of the salaries of public representatives, government and private employees – or Rs 10,000 – whichever is lower – will be deducted from their salaries and provided to their parents if they fail to care for the elderly. (File image)

The Telangana Hate Speech and Hate Crime Prevention Bill 2026 was among a slew of Bills that the Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s Cabinet approved Monday.

The hate speech Bill is among several promises that the Revanth government made during the Legislative Assembly election in 2023. Once passed, Telangana will become the second Congress-ruled state after Karnataka to pass such a legislation.

The Cabinet also approved the Telangana Platform-based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) 2026 Bill. The Bill will benefit approximately 4.2 lakh gig workers and platform-based workers in the state. In a unique move, the Cabinet also approved the Parents Support Bill 2026.

Under this Bill, as earlier announced by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, 15 percent of the salaries of public representatives, government and private employees – or Rs 10,000 – whichever is lower – will be deducted from their salaries and provided to their parents if they fail to care for the elderly.

The Cabinet also approved the formation of a sub-committee of ministers, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, to design the framework for Rohith Vemula Act to curb caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions. The sub-committee will be headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. Other members will be ministers Damodar Rajanarasimha, Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar. The Cabinet also approved the report of the independent expert committee headed by Justice Sudarshan Reddy on the caste survey conducted in the state.

The Cabinet has also decided to speed up the process of taking over the existing Hyderabad Metro Phase I project from L&T. The government is expected to pay around Rs 15,000 crore to take over the project. Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) has been given the responsibility to facilitate the takeover.

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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