Hyderabad: Protests by Muslims rock city

Hyderabad: The members of the Muslim community staged protests on Friday across the city condemned the blasphemous statements against Prophet Mohammed by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal.

The protests broke out after Friday prayers in various areas in the city. In Charminar, thousands of Muslims gathered outside the historic Mecca Masjid and demanded the arrest of Nupur Sharma. The protestors carried placards demanding Nupur Sharma's arrest and raised slogans against Sharma. The areas also witnessed the presence of several police personnel.

The South zone police made elaborate arrangements and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) was also deployed near Charminar, after the protests staged by youngsters after Friday prayers.

Scores of people gathered on the roads leading to Charminar and Moghalpura. The police as a precautionary measure blocked roads which could create trouble. The protestors demanded capital punishment for Nupur Sharma, Naveen Jindal and other RSS leaders. After a delegation including Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made an exit from Mecca Masjid, a protest broke out outside the mosque and the protestors raised slogans against the BJP spokespersons' comments.

A similar protest rally was also taken out at the Kalapathar, Chandrayangutta, Shaheen Nagar, Saidabad in the Old City. While the protests were underway in the Old City, another massive protest broke out at Azizia Mosque in Mehdipatnam and other places in the city.

However, tensions prevailed in Mehdipatnam after police resorted to lathi-charge on the protestors who took out a rally from Masjid-e-Azizia in Mehdipatnam. Tahreek-e-Islami at Gulbano Masjid in Nampally staged a protest against BJP hate mongers including Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh remarks on Ajmer Sharif Rajasthan. The protesters demanded the city police department to arrest the BJP hate mongers.

Tahreek-e-Islami President, Mufti Mohammed Asif Bilal Quadri urged the Police Department to immediately arrest BJP MLA Raja Singh for his statement on Ajmer Sharif and Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal for disrespecting Prophet Mohammed.

"India belongs to all caste and community and targeting one religion is against the Indian Constitution and we Muslims cannot tolerate the comments on Prophet. Tahreek-e-Islami agitated against the hatred towards the Islam and comments on Prophet Mohammed. We Muslims pray for peace across the country."