Telugu film critic and Dalit activist Kathi Mahesh has been banned from entering Hyderabad for six months by the Telangana police for allegedly making "derogatory comments" on Ramayan and Lord Ram and hurting the religious sentiments of people.
The Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahender Reddy said here on Monday that the controversial activist has been taken out of the city and dropped at his native place in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh to "avoid unrest in the city".
"Mahesh's comments on Ramayan have hurt the sentiments of a section of society and a counter agitation has been launched. We will not allow any actions that threaten the peace and order in the state. Any comments made on social media or in the print or television channels which escalate tensions in society or hurt the sentiments of people will be viewed seriously and action will be initiated as per law," the DGP said.
During a debate on a local television channel recently, Mahesh made certain remarks on Ramayan that evoked strong protests, with a local Hindu seer Swami Paripoornananda threatening to take out 'Darmika Chaitanya Yatra' in the city, demanding action against the film critic. However, the city police placed the seer under house arrest at his Jubilee Hills residence on Monday, after declining permission for the rally.
Keeping in view the derogatory statements by Mahesh on multiple occasions leading to hurting of sentiments of large sections of people, he has been externed from the city for the next six months under the Telangana Prevention of Anti-Social and Hazardous Activities Act, 1930, the DGP said.
"Certain elements with ulterior motives have been trying to hurt the sentiments of the people of a particular religion in the last two weeks resulting in disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred and ill-will between groups, castes and communities. On account of these unwarranted statements affecting the sentiments of one group or the other, other groups have started counter agitations," the police chief said in a statement.
The DGP warned that stringent action would be taken against anybody indulging in activities that could pose a threat to public peace and tranquillity.
Meanwhile, the DGP also issued a stern warning to media outlets and online websites that repeatedly telecast and published Mahesh's statements.
"The members of the broadcasting channels are requested to act with a sense of responsibility. The media channels cannot be permitted to act as platforms for nurturing and promoting divisive tendencies among various groups based on caste, community and religion leading to law and order problems, which is a violation of the law," the statement said.
"A notice have been served to the management of the TV channel responsible for telecasting malicious content hurting religious sentiments, directing them to explain why the management should not be prosecuted for the offences under Section 16 and 17 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act No. 7 of 1995 for violation of the Programme Code," the statement said.
