The Hyderabad City Police issued strict guidelines ahead of the Holi festival on March 14 to ensure public safety and prevent disturbances.
As per the notification, throwing colours or water on unwilling individuals, smearing colours on vehicles or public spaces without consent, and group vehicle movements that disrupt public order are strictly prohibited.
The order issued on March 11, 2025, by City’s Commissioner of Police CV Anand, said the order will be in effect from 6 pm on March 13, 2025, to 6 am on March 15, 2025. The prohibitive guidelines were issued under Section 22 of the Hyderabad City Police Act, which empowers the police commissioner to issue orders regarding procession and assembly conduct, routes, times, preventing obstructions, maintaining order, etc, for the preservation of peace and public safety.
Violators will face legal action under Section 76 of the Hyderabad City Police Act, 1348 Fasli, which addresses offences such as abetting opposition or refusal to follow a direction, and violating prohibitory orders, with varying punishments.
The public is urged to adhere to the guidelines to ensure a safe and peaceful Holi celebration.
BJP MLA from Goshamahal, T Raja Singh, tore into the Congress-led government in Telangana. “Ever since the Congress government came into power in Telangana, Hindu temples have been attacked. Attempts are being made to ban Hindu festivals,” he said.
Singh criticised the restrictions on Holi celebrations, calling the government biased against Hindus.
Previously, the Telangana government had prohibited immersions of Lord Ganesh idols in Hyderabad lake, and issued restrictive guidelines regarding Diwali celebrations as well.
Raja Singh argued that similar restrictions were not imposed during Ramadan, despite large gatherings and late-night activities.
Raja Singh accused the Congress-led government and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of being anti-Hindu and compared him to the Nizams. “This is what the Congress is trying to tell today and our Telangana state’s Chief Minister says that I am not the eighth but the ninth Nizam because the eighth Nizam was KCR (former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) .. and Nizam’s habit was known to be torturing Hindus, his job was to put a brake on Hindu festivals,” the BJP MLA said.
