Hyderabad: Parts of Old City Shut Down in Protest Against Remarks on Prophet Mohammed
On Tuesday, business establishments in parts of Hyderabad’s Old City came to a halt as Muslim traders and businessmen observed a bandh (strike). They were protesting against objectionable statements made by Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati about Prophet Mohammed. The protesters demanded his immediate arrest.
Many traders closed their shops and displayed black flags to show their anger. The bandh was called by the Muslim Joint Action Committee, which includes Tehreek Muslim Shabban and 36 other organizations. Security was tightened across the city by the police in response to the protest.
Shops in areas like Charminar, Madina Building, Pathergatti, Hussainalam, Moin Bagh, Edi Bazaar, Jagdish Market, and Afzalgunj remained closed as a sign of solidarity. The traders expressed their deep hurt and frustration over the lack of immediate action against the preacher.
Mushtaq Malik, the convenor of the Muslim Joint Action Committee and President of Tahreek Muslim Shabban, had earlier appealed to all Muslims to observe the bandh. He urged the government to arrest those responsible for insulting comments about Prophet Mohammed and take legal action. It is important to note that Yati Narsinghanand was already booked for hate speech last month after making derogatory remarks about the Prophet during a program in Ghaziabad on September 29, sparking widespread outrage.
