Police take U-turn, grant permission to BJP’s peace rally in Hyderabad:

In a sharp  U-turn, thy city police has now granted permission to the Bharatiya Janata Party  to conduct the ‘peace rally’ that is going to be headed by the party’s national president JP Nadda.

The police said that only 40 people will be allowed to participate in the rally, keeping in mind the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in the state.

The city police had earlier denied permission for a proposed rally by the Telangana BJP to protest against the arrest of its state chief, Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Since GO MS 1 is in force, permission for any rallies cannot be given, City Commissioner CV Anand told media on Tuesday morning.

According to party sources, the BJP called for a peace rally today in Secunderabad following the arrest of its state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Nadda, who will arrive here this evening will be participating



in it.

Kumar whose planned protest was foiled on Sunday night for alleged violation of COVID-19 guidelines, was arrested in Karimnagar on various charges including violation of provisions of the Disaster Management Act and Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant). He was sent to 14-day judicial custody.

Kumar, Lok Sabha member from Karimnagar, was arrested when he planned to undertake a ‘Jagarana’ protest, a night vigil, in solidarity with teachers and other government employees against a state government order on introducing a zonal system in the allocation of jobs.

The order hurt the interests of the teachers and others vis-a-vis their transfers, Kumar alleged.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy and senior party leaders visited Kumar in the prison.