Muslim bouncers not allowed? Dandiya organisers in Telangana accused of boycott

As people across the country gear up to celebrate Navratri, allegations have surfaced in Telangana that dandiya event organisers are boycotting Muslim bouncers by refusing to hire them.The claims have triggered a political controversy, with Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi condemning the alleged discrimination and calling for strict police action.Meanwhile, T Raja Singh, an MLA suspended from the BJP, has defended the purported move to deploy only Hindu bouncers at dandiya nights events.The controversy prompted representatives of bouncer supply agencies and a collective of Hindu and Muslim security personnel in Hyderabad to publicly appeal for equal employment opportunities. At a press conference held earlier this month, they said the issue concerns the livelihoods of scores of people rather than religion.Mohammad Feroz, popularly known as Fazal, who spoke on behalf of the collective, said the alleged boycott of Muslim bouncers was affecting hundreds of people in the private security industry who depend on festival-season assignments for their livelihoods. "We are fighting for employment, not for religion. Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Sikhs should all get equal opportunities. Nobody should be denied work because of their name or religious identity," he said.Feroz said he subsequently approached Owaisi, requesting him to raise the issue publicly and draw attention to the alleged discrimination."Our intention was not to seek personal support from any political leader. We wanted this issue to reach the public and ensure that people understand that employment should not be linked to religion," he said.The bouncers' representatives also rejected allegations linking Muslim security personnel to so-called "love jihad," maintaining that their role at festival venues was limited to providing security, managing crowds and preventing disturbances."Our job is to protect the event and ensure that it takes place peacefully. Organisers hire us for security services. We are not there to promote any religious or political agenda," Feroz said.He added that allegations of wrongdoing should be investigated on the basis of evidence and that action should be taken against individuals found to have committed offences, rather than against an entire community."If someone commits an offence, take action against that individual according to law. But denying employment to an entire community because of allegations against some individuals is wrong," he said.Highlighting the working relationship between security personnel from different religious backgrounds, Feroz said his team included 10 non-Muslim bouncers who had worked with him for five years."We have always worked together professionally, irrespective of religion. Our demand is not that only Muslims should get jobs. We want fair opportunities for everyone," he said."We come to protect your festivals, maintain security and prevent fights. We are struggling for our livelihoods and want to work with dignity. We are fighting for jobs, not religion," Feroz stated further.The collective urged dandiya organisers to assess security personnel on the basis of their experience, conduct and professional abilities, rather than their religious identity.The representatives also appealed to political leaders and authorities to address complaints of discrimination without allowing the issue to escalate into a communal dispute.OWAISI AND RAJA SINGH CLASHThe controversy drew political attention on Tuesday, October 6, after Owaisi expressed concern over reports that dandiya organisers were refusing to employ Muslim bouncers under pressure from what he described as "extremist organisations."In a post on X, the AIMIM chief called for people across religious communities in Telangana to stand united against the alleged discrimination, warning that the state's progress and development could suffer if such divisions persisted."This poison can be curbed if the police take strict action," he said.Responding to the remarks, Raja Singh questioned Owaisi's intervention, asking who the AIMIM president was to decide whether Hindu or Muslim bouncers should be employed during Hindu festivals.In a video statement, Singh claimed that Hindus were neither allowed entry nor offered employment during Muslim festivals.He also alleged that cases of "love jihad" targeting Hindu girls had increased at dandiya events over the past several years with support from Muslim bouncers.Singh praised dandiya organisers for purportedly deciding to employ only Hindu bouncers and threatened to stop events that employed non-Hindu security personnel.- Ends(With additional inputs from PTI)