HYDERABAD: Several members of the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samiti (BGUS) were arrested by the Hyderabad police on Tuesday as they tried to take out a bike rally on Tank Bund.
The rally was organised by the BGUS to press its demand for conducting the immersion of Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar Lake.
As per the orders of the Telangana High Court, the government said only clay idols will be allowed to be immersed in city lakes, including Hussainsagar.
BGUS general secretary Dr Bhagvanth Rao maintained that the High Court judgment violated the constitutional right to freedom of religion. He said the committee felt the judgment is due to “misinformation” presented in High Court by state government that idols made of Plaster of Paris pollute the lake.
Last year, the Supreme Court Thursday granted “last chance” to Telangana authorities to permit immersion of Lord ‘Ganesh idols’ made up of plaster of Paris in Hussainsagar Lake in Hyderabad.
On Monday, Hyderabad city police said that they had not received any application seeking permission for the bike rally. “Since the Assembly session will be in progress, such mass gatherings are prohibited in the area,” police said.
“Holding such rallies is illegal. According to the City Police Act, for holding such events, permission is mandatory. Any violation will be treated as per the law. Further, due to the Assembly session in progress, prohibitory orders are already in effect within a four-km radius around the Assembly,” said a city police official.
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