On January 26, as the nation celebrates its Republic Day, The Guntur Police has arrested members of the Hindu Vahini trying to unfurl the Indian National flag at the ‘Jinnah Circle’ in Guntur. The Hindu Vahini had announced to hoist the tricolour on the Jinnah tower in the city, but the Guntur Police has thwarted their attempt while trying to do so.
Tensions rose in the area as some people who tried to climb the Jinnah tower were arrested by the police. In the video that emerged, the Police is seen using force while controlling the people with the tricolour in their hands. It is now learnt that the policee has increased the security cover to the tower and has added a fence to prevent anyone from entering the tower.
This is how police in Andhra’s Guntur roughed up a man trying to hoist Indian flag at a circle named after Mohammad Ali Jinnah. They stopped him from unfurling the flag and detained him.
— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) January 26, 2022
And shameless media is describing it as “ugly scene” created by “right-wing activists” pic.twitter.com/cuv53aa1Iq
The move has sparked strong reactions from netizens. People are questioning the police action against Indian citizens trying to hoist the National Flag on Republic day and are asking why there is still a tower and a circle named after Jinnah in India.
A citizen of #India is arrested for waving the Tricolour and shouting ‘Vande Mataram’ … ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ at Mohammed Ali Jinnah Circle in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh on #RepublicDay
— Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) January 26, 2022
Once upon a time this would be witnessed at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
Endorsed by CM @ysjagan ? pic.twitter.com/HAcVWXEpyx
This is totally unacceptable. Police in Guntur just arrested a man for unfurling the Indian flag and raising Vande Mataram slogans at the Mohammed Ali Jinnah Circle, on #RepublicDay .
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) January 26, 2022
Are we in Pakistan, @ysjagan? pic.twitter.com/CBfCkc9TPR
The ‘Jinnah’ tower in Guntur is a one-of-a-kind building named after Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. According to some, it allegedly stands as a ‘symbol of peace and harmony’ in the city. One theory of its origins suggests that Lal Jan Basha, a Telugu Desam Party member felicitated Judaliyaquat Ali Khan, a representative of Jinnah when visited Guntur in the pre-Independence era by building this tower.
However, The state BJP unit leaders have demanded to change the name of this tower saying that it is an insult to the country to have a centre with the name of a ‘traitor’ even after 75 years. BJP national secretary, Y. Satya Kumar and Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh had earlier demanded renaming the Jinnah tower with APJ Abdul Kalam’s name. Y. Satya Kumar questioned Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy over the additional security provided to the tower at a time when a 102-year-old Bhagwan Ram Temple is being demolished in Tenali, Guntur.
While 102 year old Bhagwan Ram Temple is being demolished in Tenali town of Guntur district,
— Y. Satya Kumar (@satyakumar_y) January 24, 2022
A 76 old year old structure built in the honour of Jinnah in Guntur is being protected.
Is this Jagan’s definition of Secularism ?
Or Peculiar vote bank politics ? pic.twitter.com/pTlv7CYSij
BJP leaders from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have continuously demanded to change the name of the tower by replacing it with that of freedom fighters. The forceful detaining of Hindu activists by Guntur Police to unfurl tricolour on the tower has added fire to the ongoing controversy.
