Hyderabad Muslim bouncers allege being boycotted from Navaratri events under right-wing pressure

Allegations that Muslim bouncers and security guards are being boycotted from Navaratri events under undue pressure from right-wing Hindutva groups have emerged from Hyderabad, after a group of bouncers comprising both Hindus and Muslims came out against discrimination on religious grounds.

The bouncers, who spoke to reporters on October 4, alleged that they had faced religious discrimination from organisers of dandiya programmes since 2024, while the practice had now reportedly extended beyond festive events to the employment of security personnel at hotels and clubs, according to The Siasat Daily.

Mohammed Feroz, also known as Fazal, one of the bouncers who raised the issue, said organisers had claimed that they were under pressure to avoid employing Muslim security personnel. He questioned the justification for such pressure and urged the organisers to approach the police if they were being threatened or coerced.

“If that’s the case, the organisers must complain to the police about those who are promoting religious discrimination,” Feroz said, while calling upon the authorities to take action against those responsible.

Hindu bouncers who attended the press gathering also appealed to event organisers not to discriminate against workers on religious grounds, arguing that an entire community should not be penalised because of the actions or demands of a few.

Some of the participants stressed that Hindus and Muslims in Telangana had traditionally lived alongside one another peacefully, but warned that fringe elements were attempting to create communal tension by introducing religious discrimination into employment.

Owaisi seeks police intervention

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi expressed concern over the allegations and called for strict police action, saying that such discrimination could be curbed if the authorities intervened firmly.

He urged the people of Telangana to remain united across religious lines, warning that communal discord could ultimately affect the state’s progress and development.