Protests continued in Hyderabad over suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh's controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad and comedian Munawar Faruqui on Wednesday. A huge crowd of protesters gathered in the city last night demanding the BJP MLA's arrest, the NDTV reported. Earlier in the day, protesters also attempted to march towards Singh's neighbourhood but were reportedly stopped by the police.
The protesters raised slogans, burnt effigies, and threw stones on Wednesday night, NDTV reported. The police used batons to dispel the protesters who had gathered in huge numbers in places like Charminar and the old city area of Hyderabad city.
The police also detained several youth on Wednesday aid raging protests in the city, the Newsminute reported. The Newsminute reported that the police resorted to "severe lathi-charge on many young men, even as some of their family members denied that they were involved in the protests."
Meanwhile, AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said his party was working to de-escalate the situation. He said that 90 protesting youth from Shah Ali Banda and Asha Talkies were released after his intervention. "AIMIM MLA Ahmed bin Abdullah Balala & our corporators have been working all night to de-escalate the situation. I have been in touch with them & police too #Hyderabad," he wrote in a tweet.
Owaisi, however, maintained that Singh should be arrested since his hateful speech triggered the situation. "This situation is a direct result of Raja Singh's hate speech. He must be sent to jail at the earliest. I also reiterate my appeal to maintain peace. #Hyderabad is our home, it should not fall prey to communalism," he said.
Singh was arrested on Tuesday from his residence but was given bail by a local court evening. The Goshaahal MLA has been suspended fro the party and has been given 10 days to explain why he shouldn't be expelled, the Indian Express reported.
The police told Indian Express that the deployment of police personnel has been beefed up at all locations. have been placed "We are available to the public. The protests went on till around 5.30 Wednesday morning. The situation is fully under control," P Sai Chaithanya, DCP (South Zone) was quoted as saying.
T Raja's controversial video
Singh kicked up a row after he released a 10-minute video making disparaging comments about Prophet Muhammad. The video was later removed from social media after protests erupted in the city.
In the video, titled Farooqui Ke Aaka Ka Ithihas Suniye', Singh purportedly abused standup comedian Munawar Faruqui and took a dig on him for the content of his shows, which he said hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. He called Faruqui "mentally disturbed" because of what his mother faced in Gujarat, referring to the 2002 riots in which Muslims were brutalised. He used terms like "ding ding" hinting towards the rapes reported against the Muslims during the Gujarat riots.
Later in the video, he referred to Prophet Mohammad as "Muslims' Aaka" and repeated the remarks made by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Her comments on Prophet during a TV debate had kicked up a row. Protests were held in several cities across the country over her remarks after which she was suspended from the party.