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‘Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb is Hyderabad culture’

Cutting across religious lines, people take umbrage to attempts of BJP to tarnish image of the older parts of city

By Asif Yar Khan

Updated On - 25 November 2020, 11:45 PM

‘Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb is Hyderabad culture’ — Police personnel participating in the flag march, in Charminar on Wednesday. — Photo: Anand Dharmana

Hyderabad: There is a limit to everything, and that is what the people of the older parts of the city are now telling the Bharatiya Janata Party. Cutting across religious lines, people from all walks of life who live in the old city are taking umbrage to the attempts of political parties to tarnish the image of the old city and its people through what they call ‘hate speeches’.

Residents have come out openly against the BJP, in fact, stating that its leaders were repeatedly trying to tarnish the image of the 15 lakh population in the old city. “It is our fundamental right to stay wherever we want and which party we vote for. For the sake of a few votes, the leaders cannot alienate a particular geographical area and keep targeting it. It is in bad taste and BJP leaders should refrain from such divisive statements,” said Jameela Nishath of Shaheen Women Resource and Welfare Association.

BJP State president Bandi Sanjay’s ‘surgical strike’ comment has only worsened matters, with people wondering how low could a politician stoop for the sake of votes and publicity. “It also shows his poor knowledge of the functioning of the GHMC. A leader should be more mature and not indulge in smear campaigns for the sake of sensation without validation. It is shameful that people holding responsible positions are running campaigns to spread unrest,” lamented Maqdoom Ali Khan of MK Educational Society.

“Hyderabad is known for its Ganga Jamuna Tehzeeb. In the last few years, things have drastically changed in the older parts of the city. It is no more a place where any group is suppressed as repeatedly claimed by the BJP. People are looking forward to grow and live happily,” says R Raju Mudiraj, a resident of Chandrayangutta.

Jagan Babu, a resident of Falaknuma, said it was wrong to defame any geographical area for political gains. “Did at any point Bandi Sanjay or for that matter, any BJP national leader visit the old city and meet the people here? Without knowing the ground realities, you should not speak,” he said.