Did Khushbu Celebrate 'Bathukamma' at Charminar Temple?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Khushbu Sundar celebrated Bathukamma at Charminar.
- The event faced legal hurdles but was approved by the High Court.
- Only 100 women could participate, all without a criminal record.
- Bathukamma celebrates nature and Telangana culture.
- It has been recognized as the state festival since 2014.
Hyderabad, Sep 23 (NationPress) Actress and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar took part in the Bathukamma festivities held at Bhagyalakshmi Temple near the historic Charminar on Tuesday.
Khushbu, who serves as the Vice President of the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit, engaged in the Bathukamma celebrations alongside fellow women leaders from the Telangana BJP.
Despite initial refusal from the Hyderabad Police due to law and order concerns, a petition from a BJP representative led the Telangana High Court to grant permission for the event with specific conditions.
The court stipulated that the gathering must be limited to 100 women, all of whom should have a clean criminal record.
Additionally, the court prohibited the inclusion of VIPs in the event.
Justice N V Shravan Kumar issued the ruling on a petition submitted by Dr B Uma Shankar, Secretary of the BJP Telangana unit, challenging the police's decision to deny approval.
The police expressed concerns about the sensitive nature of the area, which is a mixed community locale with various places of worship.
The petitioner countered by noting that a similar celebration was permitted at the same location in October 2024 under certain restrictions.
The assistant government pleader for Home argued that hosting the festival there could disrupt public peace, inconvenience tourists, and attract unwanted attention.
After considering both sides, the High Court allowed the event for a duration of one and a half hours, instructing participants to avoid singing songs or making political statements that could offend others. The organizers were also tasked with ensuring there would be no law and order issues.
Bathukamma, the state festival of Telangana, commenced on Sunday. It is a vibrant celebration of Telangana culture, marked by enthusiasm among women for nine days.
During the festival, nature is revered, with women and girls singing and dancing around carefully arranged flowers. The festivities conclude with the immersion of the specially arranged flowers known as Bathukamma in local ponds.
Since the establishment of Telangana state in 2014, Bathukamma has been recognized as the state festival.