Godse’s picture displayed during Shobha Yatra in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A portrait of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse was displayed during a Ram Navami procession led by suspended BJP MLA T. Raja Singh here on Thursday.

During the ‘Shobha Yatra’ led by the controversial leader, some participants were seen carrying a picture of Godse while dancing to a song and waving saffron flags.

Hundreds of people took part in the yatra, which began from a temple in Sitarambagh and passed through different areas in Goshamahal, the Assembly constituency represented by Raja Singh.

The police have made elaborate security arrangements for the Shobha Yatra by deploying hundreds of cops on the procession route, besides keeping vigil using CCTV cameras and drones.

Police Commissioner C.V. Anand was monitoring the procession from the integrated command and control centre.

Meanwhile, Raja Singh has been booked for allegedly delivering a hate speech at a rally in Mumbai on January 29. According to the police, a case was registered four days ago after Raja Singh’s speech at the rally organised by the Hindu Sakal Samaj was examined.

He has been booked under Indian Penal Code Section 153A(I)(a) for allegedly making provocative statements.

Raja Singh was arrested by the Hyderabad police in August last year for making certain comments that hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims. He was sent to jail on August 25 after the Police Commissioner had invoked Preventive Detention (PD) Act. The BJP had also suspended him from the party.

Raja Singh was released from jail on November 9 last year, after spending two months in jail following his arrest under the PD Act.

The Telangana High Court had set aside the Police Commissioner’s order and released the MLA on bail, but had directed him not to make any speech or comment which could create hatred among communities.

Over the last couple of months, Raja Singh attended various rallies and meetings in Maharashtra and allegedly delivered provocative speeches.