Hyderabad police have imposed new restrictions for Holi celebrations, which include banning group movements of vehicles and prohibiting the throwing of colors on unwilling individuals. This decision has faced strong criticism from BJP MLA Raja Singh, who referred to it as a “Tughlaq farman” (Tughlaq order).
According to the police notification, vehicles, including two-wheelers, are not allowed to move in groups on public roads if they cause disturbance, inconvenience, or pose a safety risk. The restrictions also include prohibiting the throwing of colors or colored water on unwilling people, places, or vehicles, and smearing colors on unwilling individuals in public.
The restrictions will be in effect from 6 PM on March 13 to 6 AM on March 15. Additionally, the police have instructed that wine and toddy shops, along with bars (except those in star hotels and registered clubs), be closed from 6 AM to 6 PM on March 14.
Raja Singh criticized the restrictions, claiming they were imposed under pressure from the Congress government. He questioned why similar restrictions were not enforced during the 30 days of Ramzan, when group gatherings and bike movements are common at night. He argued that the government had failed to act on this issue during Ramzan and was unfairly targeting Hindus during Holi.
Singh further accused the Congress party of being “a slave to a particular community” and “anti-Hindu.” He also compared Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to the “ninth Nizam,” implying that the current government was repeating the oppressive actions of the historical Nizam era against Hindus.
Instead of imposing restrictions on the Hindu community, Singh suggested that the government could have asked Muslims to cooperate for one day during Holi by staying off the roads. However, Singh believes the government chose to “take action against Hindus” and urged CM Reddy to reconsider these policies.
