Telangana minister and former Indian cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin has come out in strong support of Muslim IPS officer Bushra Bano, who found herself at the center of a major controversy over a religious greeting. Azharuddin took to social media to voice his deep concern over the development and questioned the handling of the situation by the administration.
Azharuddin Raises Questions Over Action
In his post, Mohammed Azharuddin stated that it is deeply troubling that an IPS officer was reportedly transferred merely after receiving complaints about using phrases like अस्सलामु अलैकुम and इंशाअल्लाह while interacting with civil services aspirants. He further added that when a greeting becomes the basis for targeting a public servant, society must ask what kind of message is being sent to minorities. According to him, India's true strength lies in its incredible diversity, not in policing individual identities.
Origins of the Viral Video
The entire controversy stems from a video released by Bushra Bano, a 2021-batch IPS officer who was posted as Additional SP in Kharagpur. On September 13, 2026, she had published a motivational video aimed at guiding UPSC aspirants and inspiring students preparing for civil services exams. However, the friction began because she started the video with अस्सलामु अलैकुम, used इंशाअल्लाह in between, and concluded with terms like जजाकल्लाह.
Hindu Organizations Object and Transfer Follows
Following the circulation of the video, certain Hindu organizations filed formal complaints. An organization named हिंदू लीगल फंड approached the home secretary of West Bengal, arguing that a government official holding a senior position must maintain strict religious neutrality during public communication. The body contended that instead of traditional religious greetings, the officer should have used national greetings like जय हिंद or वंदे मातरम्. Following the intense row, the West Bengal government transferred Bushra Bano on September 14, 2026, moving her from Kharagpur to the fourth battalion of the State Armed Police as a Deputy Commandant. The transfer has since triggered sharp reactions from multiple MPs and MLAs.
