In a controversial move, the Badangpet Municipality on the outskirts of Hyderabad demolished a community-built Ganesh mantapam in Sri Saptigiri Colony on Friday, June 28, causing widespread outrage among residents. The incident has sparked allegations of religious intolerance and administrative overreach by the municipality. The area falls within the limits of Maheswaram Constituency, Badangpet Municipal Corporation, and the 28 division. However, in stark contrast, the same municipality has allowed numerous illegal Rohingya Muslim settlements to remain undisturbed. This apparent double standard has intensified the community’s anger and accusations of bias against municipal authorities.
According to local sources, without any prior notice, municipal authorities claimed the property as their own and arrived at the site on Friday afternoon with a JCB machine under police protection. Eyewitnesses reported that the authorities demolished the shed, discarded photos of the Hindu deities placed at the mantapam, and forcibly threw them in the nearby garbage area, prompting immediate protests from the residents. Several locals were detained by the police during the altercation. However, the community argues that they have maintained and used this private land for religious purposes for several years without any prior disputes, and that the area was designated as a common place for the community of Sri Saptigiri Colony.
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Reacting strongly to the demolition, residents of the colony and local leaders, including VHP Telangana Joint Secretary Dr. Shashidhar, VHP leaders Sanjay Sarma, Purushottam Reddy, Meerpet Corporator Pasunoori Bishkapati, Badangpet BJP leader Ch. Venkat Reddy has complained to the Meerpet police. They are planning further actions to rebuild their place of worship and intend to take legal action against the authorities for the unlawful demolition of the structure.
The demolition comes in the wake of recent political changes. Following the latest elections, it was suspected that the entire colony voted in favor of the BJP rather than the BRS MP contestant. Residents allege that the corporator had previously threatened to withhold municipal funds and development projects if they did not support his party, exacerbating tensions within the community.
The community of Sri Saptigiri Colony, established in the early 1980s, has a rich tradition of celebrating Hindu festivals such as Vinayaka Chaturthi, Dussehra, Diwali, Navaratri, and Krishna Janmashtami for over 15 years at the same venue. In 2018, residents pooled their resources of nearly 10 lakhs to construct a mantapam that housed deities, transforming the space for their religious activities.
The residents of the colony expressed distress, saying, “We have celebrated our festivals here for years. The sudden demolition without any notice is a direct attack on our religious sentiments.”
Locals accuse the earlier TRS government deliberately ignoring the illegal Rohingya settlements in the area.
TRS govt deliberately not acknowledging presence of #Rohingyas in #Hyderabad https://t.co/fSWyMNhA3m
— Nijam Today (@NijamToday) April 12, 2021
The incident has drawn the attention of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Telangana, whose leaders visited the site and restored the statues of the deities, though the shed remains demolished. The VHP has condemned the demolition as an act of religious intolerance and has vowed to support the community in seeking justice.
Speaking with the Organiser, Dr. Shashidhar, VHP Telangana Joint Secretary, said, “This is not just about a mantapam. It’s about the respect for our religious practices. We will ensure that the community’s rights are protected.”
Residents have also accused the municipal authorities of bias, pointing out that illegal settlements, including shelters for illegal immigrants and Rohingya refugees under the same municipality, have been allowed to exist, ignoring the security and danger to the neighborhood. “If they can allow illegal settlements, why target our Mantapam?” asked Dr Shashidhar.
