The Telangana Police, on Saturday, arrested an atheist, Bairi Naresh, on charges of making derogatory comments against Hindu deities including Lord Ayyappa after multiple complaints were lodged against him and protests were held by BJP and other pro Hindu organisations.

Naresh, who is the president of Bharata Nasthika Samaja, is said to be a repeat offender and demands for his detention under the stringent Preventive Detention Act had gained momentum.

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Meanwhile, Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar drew a parallel between Naresh and Munawar Faruqui who had performed in Hyderabad in August under police protection.

Video of a meeting of Dalit organisations in Kodangal town of Vikarabad district went viral where Bairi Naresh, who attended it, made certain comments against Lord Ayyappa as well as other deities such as Shiva and Vishnu. Lord Ayyappa is the son of Shiva and Mohini, the female form of Vishnu and Naresh apparently narrated the legend in a crude language.

A large number of devotees take up Ayyappa deeksha every year, don black robes and visit the Sabarimala temple. The comments led to massive outrage among devotees. Several complaints were filed against Naresh in various police stations including Kodangal police station. After widespread protests by Ayyappa devotees and other organizations, the police today arrested him from Hanamkonda district and brought him to Vikarabad. The organiser of the meeting was also taken into custody. Naresh was later produced in court and remanded to custody.

“BRS government gives security to Munawar Faruqui who insults goddess Seethamma and permission to others to hold meetings and make derogatory remarks on Lord Ayyappa Swamy’s birth. BJP demands strong action against the offender for hurting sentiments of Hindus,” said Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a tweet. He went on to slam chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao saying: “Anybody can abuse Hindu Gods in Telangana and get exonerated because Telangana chief minister encourages blasphemy by not taking action. KCR claims to be “True Hindu” and his ‘Hindutva is real’ but so far what action has been taken over insults against Gods Vishnu, Shiva and Ayyappa?”

BJP’s suspended MLA Raja Singh, who himself was behind the bars under PD act for derogatory comments against the Prophet, issued an ultimatum to the state government to arrest Naresh within 24 hours. In a video message demanding action against Naresh he warned that otherwise lakhs of Ayyappa devotees would lay siege around Pragathi Bhavan the official camp office cum residence of the chief minister.