Telangana HC Orders Removal of Videos Showing Secunderabad Temple Vandalism to Prevent Communal Tensions

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed the removal of videos showing the vandalism of the Goddess Mutyalamma idol at a temple in Secunderabad. This order was in response to a petition by advocate Rama Rao Immaneni, who argued that the videos were fueling communal tensions and contributing to law and order issues. The court instructed the Indian cyber crime coordination centre to take down URLs and websites hosting these videos.

Additionally, the court called for immediate action by the Maredpally police, who had not yet acted on the petitioner’s complaints. The judge, Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, agreed with the concerns raised, and the case will be revisited on November 5.

The vandalism occurred on October 14, when a man broke into the temple and damaged an idol. After being caught by residents, the incident led to protests by right-wing groups like the VHP, Bajrang Dal, and BJP, which culminated in clashes with the police. These protests escalated, prompting a bandh in Secunderabad on October 19. The police resorted to lathi-charging the crowd to disperse the violence. Five cases have been filed against individuals involved in the protests.

Earlier, BJP MLA Booked for Communal Remarks and Threats Against a Hyderabad Cop

Hyderabad: Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rakesh Reddy from Armur was booked by the Telangana police for making derogatory, communal comments against a police officer during an incident at the Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad. The police acted after a video of his comments surfaced online on October 14, 2024.

The situation unfolded during a period of communal tension around the Muthyalamma temple, following the vandalism of an idol. The act of vandalism was allegedly carried out by an individual with extremist views, heightening religious tensions in the area.

Longside Reddy, a right-wing social media user was also booked for promoting communal hate and spreading the MLA’s controversial remarks on the platform X (formerly Twitter). This person contributed to further stirring religious tensions through online content.

Both the BJP MLA and the social media handler were charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS):

Section 196: Promoting enmity between religious groups.
Section 221: Obstructing a public servant in the execution of duties.
Section 224: Threatening injury to a public servant.
They were also charged under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

N Bhaskar, a constable with Hyderabad’s cybercrime police department, filed a complaint stating that the online dissemination of such content could lead to public unrest. Bhaskar also highlighted that the MLA’s derogatory remarks were inappropriate given his position of authority.

The incident highlights the growing tensions and the role social media plays in exacerbating communal issues, alongside the legal ramifications for public figures and influencers involved in spreading divisive content.