By The Freedom Press
Hyderabad, October 24: Heavy police deployment was witnessed at Basheer Bagh Chowrasta in Hyderabad on Saturday following concerns over possible communal tension after the removal of a statue of Lord Rama installed during Vijayadashami celebrations.
The statue was installed near the Ammavari Temple at the junction by Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) general secretary Dr Ravinuthala Shashidhar. He had also appealed to Hindus to refer to Basheer Bagh Chowrasta as ‘Sri Ram Chowk’.
The installation of the statue and the proposed renaming of the junction drew objections from Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) leaders. On Saturday, temple staff removed the statue with the help of a crane and transported it on a lorry.
Police personnel were deployed in the area as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents.
MBT spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan alleged that the statue had been installed without permission from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad City Police. He questioned the authorities over their response to Shashidhar’s call to rename the junction.
Khan sought clarification on whether any formal proposal had been submitted to rename Basheer Bagh Chowrasta as ‘Sri Ram Chowk’. He also asked whether permission had been granted for construction in the park and whether the necessary approvals had been obtained for installing the statue. (eom)
