Stirs on comments against Prophet continue, police lathicharge, arrest protesters

The Hyderabad police on Wednesday night reportedly barged into several Muslims’ homes, arresting and detaining scores of Muslim youths who allegedly indulged in violence during protests against the offensive remarks on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made by BJP legislator Raja Sigh. Singh was arrested for hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion. Hours later, he was granted bail as the court rejected a police request for custody. The fresh protests reportedly erupted following bail granted to Singh by the local court. The BJP suspended Singh for the remarks, but the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) demanded his expulsion from the Telangana assembly.

Heavy Security at Charminar

The administration has taken up all the measures to keep the situation under control and deployed adequate police forces across all the sensitive areas, mainly at Charminar and Shalibanda which become the hub of protests.  According to police sources, incidents of heavy stone pelting were reported from different parts of the city. The protestors tried to reach Shalibanda from anywhere they could. The police also resorted to lathi charge on protestors at Charminar as well, according sources. Police said the situation was peaceful and under control.

Schools, petrol pumps closed   

Several educational institutions, including schools and tuition centers, shops and petrol pumps in various areas of Hyderabad — Asha talkies, Moghulpura, Lal Darwaza, Madina, Shalibanda, Fatehdarwaza — are shut in wake of the protests in the city. Meanwhile the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the Hyderabad Police to lodge an FIR against those who made school children raise slogans against T Raja Singh. The NCPCR said video clips circulating on social media platforms show children raising slogans such as “sar tan se juda”, according to various media reports.

Congress calls for calm

Meanwhile, Congress leader Feroz Khan on Thursday said that Raja Singh raised a sensitive issue, adding that “this is not the first time”, but said that the people do not have the right to take law and order into their hands. “Public cannot take it [the Prophet’s insult] anymore,” Khan said. He said the fresh comments against the Prophet were part of “BJP’s design” to trigger violence and create a rift in the society. Khan, however, demanded Singh’s apology.

BJP accuses Telangana govt of stoking violence

Telangana’s BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar has alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s Telangana Rashtra Samiti was trying to trigger communal riots in the city to deflect attention from allegations of her daughter’s involvement in the Delhi excise policy case, according to an NDTV report.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM