HYDERABAD: Religious tensions escalated in Gattupalli village, Maheshwaram Mandal, Rangareddy district, on Monday after a group of Muslims slaughtered a goat near two Dargas situated close to the Veera Hanuman Temple. The local Hindu community, viewing the act as a desecration of the temple premises, expressed outrage, leading to protests and deepening communal discord in the area.
Devotees present at the scene promptly alerted Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists, who, along with Bajrang Dal members and other Hindu devotees, quickly arrived to stage a protest by sitting in front of the temple. The VHP activists demanded the resignation of the temple’s Executive Officer and Chairman in response to the act.
On Tuesday morning, more than 600 Hindu devotees gathered near the temple to conduct a ritual cleansing and abhishekam, accompanied by the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa. The ceremony was conducted by Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. During the event, Mandal Secretary of the VHP, Raju, along with Bajrang Dal Maheshwaram district convener Raghavender, expressed their outrage over the recent incident in which an individual from another faith sacrificed a goat, thereby desecrating the temple premises.
They noted the government’s lack of response to the injustices faced by Hindus in the constituency, stating that it is up to the people to take note of this indifference. They warned that when the time comes, appropriate action would be taken against those responsible. The event saw participation from Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists, various community leaders, Hindu devotees, and local villagers.
The villagers gathered in protest, accusing the Muslims of deliberately undermining the temple’s sanctity and offending Hindu religious sentiments. “This is a direct insult to our faith. They intentionally did this to provoke us,” said one of the protesters. The incident has fueled a growing sense of resentment in the area, adding to a series of similar religious confrontations seen in Telangana in recent months.
“How is it justifiable to slaughter a goat near a Hindu temple?” argued a Hindu devotee. Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders have demanded that no leniency be shown until legal action is taken against those responsible for the sacrifice.
In response, local BJP leaders, including Ranga Reddy district BJP President Bokka Narasimha Reddy and Maheshwaram Constituency In-charge Andela Sreeramulu Yadav, performed a ritual cleansing (abhishekam) of the temple, denouncing the incident. They criticized the inaction of political leaders from Congress and the BRS, stating, “Despite such injustice against Hindus, the leadership remains silent. Hindus are watching, and they will deliver a fitting response when the time comes.”
They cautioned that Hindus are closely observing the situation and will deliver a fitting response when the time comes. Senior BJP leaders, including Pappayya Goud, District General Secretary Midde Sudarshan Reddy, Parliament Co-convener Anantayya Goud, and Assembly Convener Devender Reddy, along with leaders from Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and several local leaders and villagers, participated in the protest.
The recent developments in the Muthyalamma Temple attack in Secunderabad have drawn attention to a broader trend of temple desecrations in the region. On October 14, 2024, miscreants targeted the temple, leading to the identification of Salman Saleem Thakur, a non-local from Thane, Mumbai, as the primary suspect.
These kind of incidents seem to be part of a series of attacks on Hindu religious sites in Hyderabad and Secunderabad, raising concerns about potential coordinated efforts by Islamic radical groups and suspected to be linked to a larger conspiracy.
