Hyderabad authorities remove Lord Rama statue from Basheer Bagh

Authorities in Hyderabad removed a statue of Lord Rama from the Basheer Bagh crossroads on Saturday, October 24, following objections regarding its unauthorized installation and demands to rename the junction. The statue had been placed near the Ammavari Temple as part of Vijayadashami celebrations by the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS).

The removal triggered political friction. Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) leaders questioned the legality of the installation and the proposal to rename the area ‘Sri Ram Chowk,’ noting that Basheer Bagh is named after the former Prime Minister of the Hyderabad State, Bashir-ud-Dowla Nawab Asman Jah Bahadur.

In response to the controversy, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) directed the removal of the statue. The BJP has criticized the action, labeling it ‘anti-Hindu’ and accusing the state government of insulting devotees. Heavy police presence was deployed in the area to maintain law and order and prevent communal tension.