Hyderabad News: BJP leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar has ignited a fresh controversy by accusing government authorities in Hyderabad of failing to protect sacred Hindu sites.
Things started at Hyderabad’s Safilguda temple where idols in a Hindu temple were allegedly vandalized, sparking protests. A few days back, a miscreant entered the Katta Maisamma Temple and committed indecent acts such as excreting. The accused was identified as a Bidar resident named Altaf. He was arrested for unlawfully entering a place of worship and insulting religious beliefs.
Puranapul, a historic temple in the Old City, suffered a similar fate. Miscreants damaged deities and smeared walls with derogatory graffiti On January 13.
Reaction of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi dismissed the rhetoric of Sanjay as “divisive religious politics.” In a Lok Sabha statement and X thread, Owaisi said that isolated incidents should not be politicized to stoke hatred.
Owaisi remarked that Hyderabad Police acted quickly and decisively by making more than 20 arrests in Safilguda case alone. The AIMIM Chief said BJP is exploiting temple desecrations for electoral gains ahead of municipal polls, warning against “Hindu-Muslim polarization.”
Action By Hyderabad Police
Hyderabad Police made a statement that the accused miscreants have been arrested.
In 2025, Telangana reported 15 temple vandalism cases that suggested an increase of 30 percent from 2024.
Broader Implications for Hyderabad’s Harmony
These religious clases underscore the tightrope walk between devotion and supremacy in Hyderabad. The aggressive stance of Bandi Sanjay has galvanized BJP supporters. On the other hand, it is a bid for Owaisi to retain Old City strongholds amid youth disillusionment.
The desecration of Hyderabad temples is not isolated incidents of vandalism, but selective vandalism and a severe assault on shared heritage. As Bandi Sanjay rallies and Owaisi counters, the city watches.
