Kathi Mahesh externed from Hyderabad to Chittoor for blasphemy

​Hyderabad: The externment of film critic Kathi Mahesh from Hyderabad for six months and his subsequent "shipment" to his native Chittoor has become dicey with the Andhra police saying that he was not welcome for the same reasons for which he was sent out of capital of Telangana.

After Telangana DGP M Mahender Reddy announced that Mahesh has been sent to Chittoor, the police in the sibling state said they would not want the headache in their district, and that he may be sent to some other state. But no action has begun so far on AP's demand. “We have nothing to do with Mahesh,” a top police official said.

Mahesh was externed by the police for his "blasphemous" interpretation of Ramayana which led to a rash of protests and expression of indignation by devout Hindus so much so Paripoornananda Swami, based in Hyderabad wanted to take out a dharmika chaitanya yatra to Yadadri but the police denied permission, stating that it would further fuel already volatile atmosphere.

Mahender Reddy said the decision to extern Mahesh has been taken keeping in view tempers running high following the incendiary statements that inflamed passions. Following this, he was externed under Telan gana Prevention of Anti-Social and Hazardous Activates Act, 1930.

The Telangana Police Chief said that certain elements with ulterior motives have been trying to hurt the sentiments of the people of a particular religion in the last two weeks resulting in disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred and ill-will between groups, castes and community.

This, in turn, has resulted in other groups starting counter agitations resulting in posing a great threat to public peace and tranquility. Following this, it was decided to take stern action against any individual or group or groups of individuals trying to disturb peace in Hyderabad city and Telangana at large, he said.

The State Police Chief said that so far three cases have been registered against Mahesh and a notice was slapped against a TV channel for repeatedly airing the objectionable comment for telecasting malicious content hurting religious sentiments directing them to explain why they cannot be prosecuted for the offences under section 16 and 17 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act No.7 of 1995 for violation of the Programme Code.

Meanwhile, Swamy Paripoornananda demanded that the police to unconditionally release those arrested while on their way to take part in the Dharmika Chaitanya Yatra, scheduled to start from July 9 to 11 from Shivam temple in Bodduppal to Yadadri on Monday. The seer who was placed under house arrest since early morning by the city police while addressing media late in the afternoon said those who were coming to take part in the Yatra were neither anti-national elements nor coming to create trouble.

Tension prevailed at Road No 74 in the Filmnagar where Swamy lives since early in the morning following police descended on the place and kept the seer under house arrest. Residents of the locality had a tough time in getting back to their homes as police restricted movement of vehicles and people. At one point in time, a war of words broke out between the leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and police.

Representatives of several media outlets and publications registered their strong resentment when they were asked to leave the place. Bhagavantha Rao, president of the Bhaghyanagar Ganesh Utsav Committee and others met the seer to express their support. BJP MLA Chintala Ramachander Rao, NVVS Prabhakar Rao, Raja Singh were denied permission to meet the seer.

BJP official spokesperson Rakesh Reddy along with several party activists was taken into custody. Interestingly, the police initially had given permission to the Yatra, for reasons not known, they had cancelled it. The swamy said: “We have cooperated with the police in every way. We assured them that we would not hold a public meeting but only take out the Yatra only from the outskirts of the city to go to Yadadri chanting ‘Sri Rama Sankeertanas.

"Whether you (police) take it a demand or warning, but, I appeal you to unconditionally release those put behind the bars. If we cannot go to a temple in this country, express our resentment peacefully, whom should Hindus turn to get justice,” he asked. Paripoornananda Swami made it clear that he would take out his yatra.

If the police feel participation of crowds might pose a problem then he would alone be on yatra. For this, he asked the police to take a call and if they try to continue to put him under house arrest, then he would not hesitate to go on fast.