Hyderabad: The arrest of suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh by the Hyderabad police under the Preventive Detention Act has led to the closure of shops in several areas that fall under the Goshamahal constituency in Telangana's Hyderabad. Some have expressed support for the jailed MLA and protested his arrest, while others protested out of fear of violence and disturbances. The city police have advised shops to shut down by 8 pm for two days as a precautionary step.
The Hyderabad police commissioner told media there was no selective use of the law which is why they were filing cases against and arrested protestors who raised provocative statements against T Raja Singh.
Syed Abdahu Kashaf, who calls himself a social media influencer and was seen in videos raising the 'sar tan se juda' (behead) slogans, was arrested and later let off on bail.
The big focus today is Friday prayers when there is an apprehension of trouble. There will be a big deployment of security forces to ensure peace prevails.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi has appealed to people not to indulge in any activity that would disrupt peace and harmony. He said that disturbances would be seen as a victory by the BJP.
Before being arrested, T Raja Singh had put out a video blaming Telangana minister KT Rama Rao for allowing Munawar Faruqui's show in Hyderabad that, he said, had led to a communally vitiated atmosphere in the city.
Singh said both the TRS and the BJP hoped to benefit politically by creating these disturbances.
Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, meanwhile, asked the people of the state to choose between Pantala Telangana (Green Telangana) and Mantala Telangana (Telangana on fire). He said the BJP was indulging in divisive politics to create unrest and disrupt development in the state.
The court has allowed the BJP state President and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay to continue with his padayatra. The third phase of the Praja Sangrama Yatra was to conclude on Saturday with a public meeting addressed by the BJP national President JP Nadda but police permission has not been granted for it.