Hyderabad erupted in saffron celebrations for Hanuman Jayanti, with temples, processions, and public areas decked out in orange flags and religious imagery as tens of thousands turned out for the festival. The city’s Hindu community welcomed the scale of devotion, which many described as a visible assertion of religious and cultural pride. Yet the day was also marred by the appearance of several inflammatory banners bearing anti‑Muslim and “Hindu Rashtra”‑style slogans, triggering criticism from civil‑society groups, opposition parties, and sections of the Muslim community.
Celebrations and political overtones
The festival coincided with a surge in public spirituality and nationalist symbolism, with many processions carrying portraits of Hindu deities alongside nationalistic and saffron‑flag imagery. Civic and political leaders attended events, and city authorities permitted wide‑scale public processions and public‑address systems in multiple neighbourhoods. For many devotees, this confluence of faith and overtly Hindu‑majoritarian symbolism felt empowering, but for others it reinforced fears of communal polarization.
Toxic banners and pushback
Amid the celebratory atmosphere, posters and cloth banners in and around Old City and parts of the city’s core areas carried slogans targeting Muslims, including calls for “Hindu Rashtra” and “pure” India, sparking outrage on social media and among minority‑rights activists. The police and local administration moved to remove some of the most provocative banners, while the state government quietly distanced itself from the toxic messaging, reiterating that the state’s official stance is multi‑religious and inclusive. The incident has now become a flashpoint in the broader debate over the role of religion in public celebrations and the creeping communalization of major festivals in Hyderabad.
