Hyderabad: Telangana’s top police officials have come under fire from the BJP and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) for issuing a memo to a Hyderabad sub-inspector who sought exemptions from formal appearance and dress code while observing his 40-day Ayyappa Deeksha.
Calling the police order a “blatant and unacceptable discrimination” against the majority community, the two organisations pointed to what they called “special half-day concessions (given) to officers observing fasts from a particular community”.
The apparent reference was to the month of Ramzan, during which government employees in Telangana, including teachers, contract and outsourcing staff, and those in boards, corporations and public sector units, are allowed to leave offices an hour early.
The Telangana BJP Tuesday posted on X a copy of the purported police department memo to S. Krishnakanth, who is posted as SI at the Kanchanbagh police station under the Hyderabad commissionerate limits, in response to his application seeking the exemptions to undertake the Ayyappa Deeksha.
The memo, dated 20 November, cites earlier instructions, according to which, “no permission can be issued for growing hair and beard, wearing of civil (black) dress, without shoes for religious purpose to any member of the disciplinary force like police, while on duty.”
“If any police personnel are desirous to observe ‘Deeskha’, they can apply for leave to do so,” reads the purported police memo signed by K. Srikanth, who holds the additional charge as Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East Zone, Hyderabad).
The memo says Krishnakanth’s “application cannot be considered favourably”, and asks him to comply with “Head Office circular scrupulously.”
Hyderabad City Police has asked its officers who wish to undertake the sacred Ayyappa Deeksha to do so by taking leave, and not while on duty.
Is the Telangana Police Department now functioning under the diktats of AIMIM?
The same department grants special half-day concessions… pic.twitter.com/eD9Xu0Q6O7
— BJP Telangana (@BJP4Telangana) November 25, 2025
The BJP strongly condemned the police memo. “Is the Telangana police department now functioning under the diktats of AIMIM? We strongly condemn this arbitrary Farmaan and demand that Hyderabad City Police immediately revoke this biased directive,” the party said in the X post, also objecting to the department asking the officer to instead take leave.
Lakhs of devotees from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh undertake the Deeksha during this time of the year, observing strict rules such as eating only restricted vegetarian food and practising celibacy.
They appear only in black robes, don’t shave or wear footwear during the course that culminates with a pilgrimage offering irumudi (an offering) to Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala in Kerala. President Droupadi Murmu visited the revered shrine recently.
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‘Some can grow beard, some can’t’
Speaking to ThePrint, VHP national spokesperson Dr Ravinuthala Shashidhar sought to know “how many constables from the Muslim community, especially in Hyderabad, were issued notices till now, if at all, for flouting the department’s discipline and code.”
“How come Muslim constables, some officers too, are allowed to grow beards when Hindu personnel cannot? Does the rule not apply the same way in our state police’s book?” he asked.
The VHP also found fault with “the department hosting iftar parties during the Ramzan month, with police-public funds, with top officers like police commissioners appearing in sherwanis and sporting skull-caps.”
“Are we still under the Nizam rule to continue such traditions? Why are there no Deepawali or Dussehra milans conducted then?” he asked.
Telangana BJP chief spokesperson N.V. Subhash said, “The Congress government and the police department under it should treat all matters of faith and devotion with the same respect.”
“Or this appeasement of one community should stop at once. If not, it will be called discrimination,” he told ThePrint.
ThePrint reached Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar through calls and WhatsApp messages, but there was no response. This report will be updated if and when he responds.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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