HYDERABAD: Lord Ayyappa devotees, along with several others including BJP leaders, on Friday demanded stringent action against Osmania University student Bairi Naresh who is alleged to have made objectionable comments against Lord Ayyappa during a meeting at Kodangal in Vikarabad district on Thursday.
Even as protests spread to different parts of the state, the Vikarabad police and the Hyderabad cybercrime police registered cases against Naresh. Ayyappa devotees also lodged complaints against Naresh in different parts of the state.
A video clip of the comments made by Naresh in a meeting held during the inauguration of a statue at Ravulapally village under Kodangal police station on December 19, went viral late on Thursday night, drawing ire from the devotees.
Devotees in large numbers protested outside various police stations in the city till the early hours of Friday.
BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar demanding action against Naresh, in a statement said it had become a fashion for some to insult Hindu deities in the absence of strict action against such persons by the Telangana government and police. Calling on Hindus to unite in condemning such individuals, Sanjay asked: “Where is the Chief Minister who claims he is a Hindu?”
Goshamahal BJP legislator T. Raja Singh said he was detained under PD Act despite not making any objectionable comments. “I want to know if the Chief Minister, minister K.T. Rama Rao and the newly appointed DGP Anjani Kumar will book Naresh under the PD Act. If Naresh is not arrested within 24 hours, lakhs of devotees will take to the roads and also lay siege to Pragathi Bhavan,” he said.
BRS MLA Krishna Rao said that as a devotee of Lord Ayyappa he demanded the invoking of the PD Act against Naresh for insulting Hindus and a God in whom crores of people place their faith.
BJP spokesperson N.V. Subhash said, “The KCR government is encouraging and protecting those who raise their voices against the Hindu community in Telangana. The KCR government had granted police permission and provided security for the function of Munnawar Faruqui who had insulted Hindu gods despite opposition from the majority of people including our party Leaders and some organisations.”
Chief priest of the Chilkur Balaji temple C.S. Rangarajan lodged a complaint against Naresh at the Moinabad police station and demaded his immediate arrest. Rangarajan urged the police to take stringent action against Naresh.
Protests were held in Adilabad, Nirmal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Narayanpet, Sangareddy districts seeking the prosecution of Naresh.
N. Koti Reddy, Vikarabad district’s superintendet of police, said that a suo motu case has been registered against Naresh at the Kodangal police station. “Such comments against deities are not acceptable. Stringent action will be taken against those involved in such incidents. We will ensure Naresh gets punishment in the court of law,” he said.
He also warned organisers of meetings to ensure such objectionable comments are not made and if any such incidents are repeated, action will be taken against the organisers too.
